JessicaRulestheUniverse.com

Abe Florendo, journalist, editor, and soul of kindness, died last Sunday. He was cremated yesterday morning. A wake will be held at his house in BF Resort, Las Pinas until Wednesday, after which his ashes will be taken to Ilocos.

Abe was our lifestyle editor at TODAY. He encouraged young writers, listened to everyone’s ideas no matter how bizarre, and always kept his sense of humor. We will deal with his death the way we always deal with the deaths of people we love—we just don’t believe it. Sometimes we think we spot our friends in public places, and we have to remind ourselves that they’re dead.

Many years ago, Abe’s mother died and was cremated in the US. Her ashes were flown back to the Philippines. One day at the office, Abe told us to hurry up with our articles because he had to leave early. “Mother’s in the car,” he told us.

For a moment we thought Abe was bananas with grief. “Abe,” we said, “your mother is dead.”

“I know that,” he said. “Her ashes are in the car. I picked her up at the airport.”

It really is the end of an era.