Henry Sy Jr. on death of daughter Jan Catherine: ‘All I can say is, it has broken me’

SM Prime Holdings chair Henry Sy Jr. has expressed his grief over the passing of his eldest daughter, Jan Catherine.

Jan Catherine, a vice president at SM Development Corporation, died on March 18. She was 29.

“Jan being on lock-down with us during the past year in this pandemic was truly a gift,” he said, as quoted on the Facebook page of Christ’s Commission Fellowship-affiliated The Cup of Faith, which shared the full transcript of his eulogy.

The father said Jan took care of him and her mom, running errands, handling technical difficulties, driving them around, and even skating beside them while they took their daily walks.

“She nagged us to eat healthy and sleep early.  She was joyful, kind and patient with us her parents and the most wonderful to be around especially in the past few months” even as she prepared for her own wedding, he said.

“I cannot begin to explain the extraordinary turn of events that struck my family. All I can say is, it has broken me.”

The mall magnate recalled how Jan grew up to become his assistant who insisted he go to church with her. He said she wanted to build spaces for the less fortunate and help out as much as she could.

“At this moment, I cannot see and understand why the Lord took her home at this point in her young life, but God’s message to me these past few days is clear—to trust Him,” said the father.

“Yes, Jan was never mine to begin with.  She was loaned to us for 29 years and what a beautiful gift she was from God,” he said.

“By God’s grace and compassion, He allowed us to speak to Jan moments before she was intubated and she said she was ready to meet Jesus, giving a double thumbs up and then pointing to the sky saying ‘with Jesus.’”

He then asked for prayers and thanked everyone who helped their family during their hour of need.

On Saturday, Jessica Sy also shared her tribute to her late sister.

“There are a million words that have already been said, yet no words can describe you and tell you how much you mean to me,” she wrote, sharing photos of their precious time together.

The younger sister recalled their childhood, when Jan would make her laugh every time she was sad.

“Jan, my heart is so broken and I feel so much grief not having your light in my life right now. I know you would push me to be better, to live life as you did, full of adventure, kindness and love for others. To share God’s love with others and live a life of righteousness and goodness like you,” said Jessica.

“I’m broken and hurting right now, but I’ll be okay, we’ll all be okay. I’ll take care of Mama, Papa, Hank, Michael and Jack like how you took care of us all the years of your life. Soon we’ll be able to have our eyes filled with tears of joy and laughter like you’d want. Soon we’ll be all together again,” she said.

“I am so blessed to have been able to experience your life, your joy, laughs, kindness, compassion, stories, generosity, humour and your love. I am so privileged to have been able to call you my sister ... You were and always be my Syster, my best friend, my Atsi, my Jan. I love you always.”

Meanwhile, CCF founder Dr. Peter Tan-Chi shared that he was with the SM chairman at the hospital when his daughter was in critical condition.

“Henry told me, no regrets, because for him, Jan has lived her life to the fullest,” he said in a video posted by CCF on Sunday.

“When we had the meeting with all the specialists, with all the doctors, I remember that night in the conference room ... he said, ‘I know for a fact should the Lord take my daughter home, it’s okay, because she will be in a better place. She will be in heaven.’” – RC, GMA News