Farewell to Yi Luo

I still can not believe it is true - Yi was passed away. His smile, his voice and his humour are still in front of me. From we heard he was sick we preyed God to let this nicest man live longer. But this day still came without any mercy. I cried, I screamed and I even shouted I could do anything if there were any hope to save his life.
I came to Ottawa in March 1993. My husband and I rented a small apartment in a building near Mooney's Bay. It is close to Carleton University. (At that time Yi was in Carleton U for Post Doctor.) When we moved in nobody was in the next door. In a month or so we heard moving sound at next door. We did not know who were our neighbours until one day we saw Yi Luo and his wife Xuesong Xiao in the lobby. I was not used to talking first with a stranger. Yi Luo saw us and asked whether we were from China in English with his trade mark smile. We relied "yes" in Chinese. Four of us were very excited. It was like old friends who had not seen each other for long long time. At that evening we visited each other and we had a very long chat. His multi talents impressed me and my husband. From that moment both families got closer and closer.He never said "NO"if we and any other people asked him for help. I still clearly remember Yi bought a very very old red car in one evening. He was excited to tell us he had car. He said he could bring us to go shopping at weekend. From then he always brought us in his old car at weekends until we bought a old car as well. In a few months both his wife and I were pregnant. After my son was born his young daughter was born four weeks later. Yi started to call my son " 阿哥' and his daughter"阿妹". Since then two kids just call each other like this.It seems awkward to them if calling each other's name.Whenever we needed help he was always there from taking care of my son to helping my computer homework, and many many other things. He was a really really gentleman in our eyes.
He was a very very good and funny father. Anran and Wanning are so lucky to have this kind of father. He was always patient with his two daughters. Sometimes he even pretended to be a kid to play with them. We called him 孩子王, 老玩童 .
Yi always lives in our life. We will remember him for ever no matter where he goes. We wish him a good journey to his new life.
Xuesong, Anran and Wanning please restrain your grief.


Helen Ge
From Ottawa
10/23/2007