It’s been four days since I heard one of the most shocking and gut-wrenching news from S. Our dear friend AJ Matela, the pioneer of local LGBT blogging, has passed away.

AJ asking us the lies our yayas told us
07 February 2008

I tried and tried to put something here but I end up sobbing like a four year old. :( If you’ve been lucky to have had the chance to be friends or even have met AJ, you’d know exactly how I feel. AJ’s one of the smartest and most vibrant bloggers I’ve ever met. He’s so easy to get along with and quite literally, he makes everything seem so easy breezy. Three summers ago, thanks to Columbia, I was sent to hike Mt. Daguldul with him and a couple more bloggers. For crying out loud, I’m very athletic, yes but climbing a mountain isn’t my cup of tea. See how AJ made it seem enjoyable:

A month later, we partied like high school kids who were on a curfew:

INDIEvidiuality: The Royal Elastics Road Tour

AJ, being oh so fasyon and vain, was naturally spotted at the opening night of the Philippine Fashion Week 2008:

with Juned and their kikoy kits

…and the Belo open house at the Belo Med Tomas Morato clinic:

Apart from fashion and beauty, we’re also big geeks. At the 2008 Philippine Blog Awards, we’re actually hoping to take home a Nokia N95. Then again, we won these 4GB Toshiba USB thumb drives (mine’s still working, btw). See the delight on our faces LOL

We also LOVE LOVE LOVE to eat! Cheers to noshing with equally hungry individuals at the opening month of Pepper Lunch (Power Plant):

When S and I decided to sketch up our fate in Singapore and Dubai respectively, AJ was also there to bid us goodbye and wish us luck.

After that despedida slash new year dinner, I believe I only saw him again twice but still exchange SMS messages about our jobs (we work in the same industry and I ask for professional tips from him every so often). The screen cap queen in me’s compelled to immortalize AJ’s sweetness:

Soon AJ but please, wag mo kong dalawin. Super takot ako sa mumu! :) Ang daya mo, you left us two days before your 29th birthday kaya you’re forever 2X!

WE DO — LOTS!

After posting all the photos above, somehow, I feel better. I still have tears welling up on my lids but as how AJ would put it, “keri lang” and “must move on friend”. I will totally, eventually. For now, I still want to celebrate the beauty of our short-lived friendship both online and offline.

Au Revoir, AJ! Thank you for all the beautiful and funny memories! I will never forget our kwentuhans esp. when we’re both heartbroken. :)

–o–

The Matela family’s in need of 1000 volunteers to help out defray the costs of the medical expenses AJ’s incurred overtime. If AJ, baklaako.com, or Ernie has made you smile at least once, please join the 1000 Volunteers for AJ Matela community and spread the word.