Sari Santiago, My Diva Catholic Movie Mate Bitch of a Friend

I miss Sari Santiago!  She was my very good friend who passed away due to Leukemia last July 25, 2012.

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HERE'S SOMETHING I WROTE LAST AUGUST 2, 2012, TO GIVE MOMMY NORA (Sari's Mom) AN IDEA OF HOW WE KNEW AND APPRECIATED HER DAUGHTER.

You know what, I really don’t recall how I met Sari! She was just there nalang, in the ZNXS group. Then again, I also don’t recall
when I officially became a part of them! I remember literally (through writing essays) dueling with Veca as to which group was better: Duran Duran or Menudo (I’m cringing now!) on a bulletin board. This feud of sorts got me to notice (and respect) Veca’s talent with words. My best friend at that time was Mari Brias. We’d been close since 5th grade but she was transferred to Section B on our Freshman
Year (Povedans since Nursery). Later than sooner, I started hanging around more with Veca and Sari (because they were always together).

I do remember that Sari sat to my right, right next to me in class. She was the new, quiet girl with a slight accent from a country I didn’t know. When Sari and Veca were busy talking or quietly making wise cracks about the teacher (and there were many with substandard grammar and diction), I remember shushing them (Sari and Veca, not the teachers) complete with pointed stare (I tried to listen as much as I could, as well as, read the teacher’s lips, because on hind sight, I was already a little deaf then). I do remember that Sari was a little miffed at me for the katarayan, but true to form, Sari let me be, accepting that I needed their cooperation to pass high school.

Veca, Sari and I started a tradition of posing as a threesome, with the same positioning, back in Anna de Vera’s house. I was in the center (the Leo in me dictates that I be the center of attention), I was wearing my black half shirt and I’d curled my hair using my Vidal Sasoon electric curlers. Ever since then, we always made a point of doing this at every possible occasion! This tradition was done for about 20 years. I MUST find all our threesome shots! These will be sent to you on the occasion that I find the most number of pictures. Surely 20 pieces for the 20 years, could be unearthed?!

Sari did complain and mourn the fact that being the bunso (sorry to Gladys!), you (her parents) got tired of taking pictures of her for posterity. She remembers so few shots of herself growing up. Maybe and most likely THAT WAS WHY she was a picture-hungry monster with a camera! She must’ve wanted to make up for a “lost” childhood, and while she could, she seemed to want to record a lot of HERstory!

It was so SUDDEN for us to lose Sari. It NEVER OCCURRED TO ME that leukemia could take her life. I was maybe both too busy to think the worst for her and too dense to believe how dangerous any cancer could be. And then, when I heard Noel say that the leukemia just took nine months to do this to US, I was taken aback by its lethal fierceness!


 She never gave us any reason to fear or stress. She did mention (July 21) on Facebook that the doctor advised you all that alternative medicine was something you could look into for the moment since her liver was not strong enough to take the chemo medicine. This entry was her gentle way to let us know her plight. I was just too dense to understand how critical her system must have been at that time. Then again, she was the type to take it all in, for as long as she could. She must have not wanted to burden us with her burden. I think she knew God would help her through it all. Her God was enough. I liked that about Sari. She had a strong, solid faith in the Lord. I remember that she did say the Rosary very often with you.

I am a slightly-practicing Catholic but still afraid for my soul, aware of the commandments and I do know I am a constantly thankful person with a personal relationship with Him. God and I do talk a lot! Now, Sari and I can continue to talk a lot, without the assistance of Globe Telecoms. The only upside to her passing I’ve recognized so far is that I’ll save on calls! Bad joke, I know, but she would have snickered at this one!

Her death is yet another wake-up call to speed up and do something more and memorable during this lifetime. Had I the long legs of Liza Berroya-Salud, I would’ve joined all the beauty pageants that would take me and would’ve found a way to insert this motto, which I surprisingly got from a teeny-bopper movie, into the answer of the Q & A Portion:

“The ultimate secret of life is the true knowledge of death. For without this knowledge, man would not strive to leave his mark upon the Earth”.

I have as yet no children with my superior genetic imprint as a legacy to mankind, but I have my word and my body as a body of inspiration for all fat women out there.  And speaking of my body, her passing is also reminding me to slow down, to remember my health. Without this machine I live in, I cannot spread light and magic! I’ve been living a life of work and more work. I am only home to sleep and shower. I have scheduled a complete health check-up before I turn 40 (August 7) and I have bought (yet another) book entitled “How To Deal With Stress” by Stephen Palmer, PhD. I’m hoping that these will point me towards a healthier direction and lengthen my life so that I can continue to be a blessing to and for others.

BTW, Did my “beauty queen motto” make you think?! Will it become a measure of your success on Earth? Will it define how fast you want to run this “race”? Will it heighten your standards to live and die, with passion in your heart? Will it inspire you to be the best friend, child, teacher, confidante, citizen and parent you can be? It had. Now, Sari has replaced this motto. Her gentle voice (at times, haha!), her steadfast faith, her patience…these are what I now strive to acquire. And when I do.... PERFECTION! Bwahahaha!

By Rosanne Araneta Pitt
(Until he is married to Angelina Jolie, I live in hope!)

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It is days before her first death anniversary.  Our group, ZNXS, has not watched a movie together since she passed.  We may have gotten together around five to six times for dinner.  It is so different without her calling the group for a "G" or gimmick.

On a lighter note, I DID get my full physical on my 40th Birthday.  Gallstones, fatty liver and possible lumps in my humps were sighted.  I was given Crestor, advised to take Liverine (?).  After my wrist was fractured, I was prescribed Calcium Aid.  Yes, we are hitting midlife (since I plan to live at least until I'm 90) and we are starting to feel and hear the aches and creaks (sp?) in the machine.

But I continue on.  For me, for Sari, for all those I've yet to inspire and well, piss off.

I've yet to encounter the bucket that I am to kick.  Haha.