Let Me Entertain You!

Rodolfo Cabael, also known as Rudy, Rod, Dolfo, Dolpo, Po, RC, and Sangkai was born on Nov 12, 1939 in Sta. Margarita, Samar, Philippines to Felicitas Delos Santos and Gaudioso Cabael. 

He was nine months old, when this picture was taken in 1940 before his Father left for WWII to join the USAFFE (The United States Armed Forces of the Far East). He was among the casualties of the infamous Bataan Death March. That was the last time his Father ever saw him. 

Young Rodolfo is in his boy scouts uniform, a time when he learned much-needed survival skills. He discovered that he loves horses, doing handy-man work, and hates bullies. 

He was the only child for many years until his mother got remarried to his stepfather Manual Trani. He felt blessed to have become the Kuya of Manuel Jr. and Nerio (shown in photo), Claro (deceased), Elizabeth, Ignacio, Cirila, and Teresita.

His mother bought a beachfront property in his home village of Cautod with his father Gaudioso’s military death benefits, which he then inherited when he was eighteen. The beach became one of his favorite places, as it was his only connection to his father.

Young man, Rodolfo.  He described himself as: “Perfect eye sight, hearing, dancing feet, arms for swimming, playing basketball and combat martial arts. Mind, heart, and soul for Wonderful loving!” He loved his friends, women, singing, dancing, and of course chess. 

Having a daring and adventurous side, Rodolfo back-packed around Philippines and landed a job as a Land Surveyor in Mindanao. 

By this time he had learned to appreciate the different types of beauty in women and realized he had high standards. He married a beautiful Valedictorian, Lourdes Roma, on June 1966. They made it to their 55th wedding anniversary.

Soon after, he had two daughters Felian (1967) and Lounacitas (1970). He was a self-taught father guided by his instincts, a strong moral compass, and love. 

He completed his Bachelor of Science in Civil and Geodetic 

Engineering and worked as a Shipbuilding Construction Engineer. He exceled in his job and was managing over 20 men.

By March 1972, Rodolfo had the confidence and ambition to immigrate to Canada under the sponsorship of Vincent Roma, Lourdes’s brother, who was stationed in New Foundland. He went ahead of his family and through fate (or secret plotting), Rodolfo put down roots in Vancouver, BC.  Lourdes and the children then arrived months after. With no family, no money, and even no luggage, the challenges he faced as a new immigrant is enough to fill a book.  

Rodolfo always said “Canada is the best place to raise a family”. In 1975 he was blessed with another daughter Lorelei.  

In 1977 he was hired as a civil engineer with Transport Canada. He had an important role in the airports Master Planning Team who’s mandate was to improve all airports in BC. He created a prototype for the Abbotsford airport, which was then used for all municipal airports throughout the province. 

In October 1977 he took his oath as a Canadian Citizen. He was proud to be a Canadian yet was Filipino at heart, and created long-lasting friendships with other Filipino-Canadians. 

His friendships grew and his family grew with the birth of his fourth daughter, Rouella in 1982. 

The 80’s was a difficult time but Lourdes and Rodolfo managed to buy the renowned “Surrey House”, a fixer-upper that ended up being Rodolfo’s 

37-year long project. Somewhere along the way he also obtained his Diploma in Power Engineering and a Certificate in Naval Architecture…just because.

From 1990 onwards he worked for the City of New Westminster as the Maintenance Superintendent for Canada Games Pool. He loved this job as it allowed him to use his mechanical skills, manage a team of 10 or more, and bonus…. it was graveyard. 

His greatest success was raising his four daughters and guiding them through their own life’s milestones from graduation, to marriage, and to having children of their own.  The connection he had with each member of the family was unique, authentic, and pure.  The lessons he passed down to his children and grandchildren are priceless, and future generations will be better because of them.

Even after he retired in 2004, Rodolfo could not quench his thirst for knowledge. At 70 years old, he went back to school and took Creative Writing part-time for 3 years. He was awarded the highest honour in his class for short story & novel writing. The photo is him in “Lolo’s Nirvana”, a writer's den he built from a shed in the back yard. He truly felt fulfilled by sharing poems, short stories, and ideas to over 800 Facebook friends and followers.

He articulated his love for family and friends in his creative writing. He had endearing metaphors for them, such as his Sun (wife Lourdes), Four Moons (daughters Felian, Lounacitas, Lorelei, Rouella), and his Satellites (grandchildren Felicia, Athena, Francesco, Genevieve, Kaizen, Jaxen, Sophia, and Maddox).  

On Dec 15, 2018 he had a heart attack on his return trip to the Philippines. He barely made it back to Canada. Since then he was in and out of hospitals due to a weak heart, lung disease, and compromised kidneys. He was a fighter to the end and never let his failing health affect his love for life.

On July 4, 2021 at the age of 82, he passed way at Abbotsford Regional Hospital with his Sun and Moons around him.

His last public outing was on June 28, 2021 at the Van Gogh Immersive Exhibition in Vancouver. I wonder what he was thinking in this photo. Perhaps he was thinking of Van Gogh’s quote that he used in his July 2018 poem “Love…Kiss….Life”:

               “Love is something eternal, 

                 the aspect may change, 

                 but not the essence.”

We will love you for eternity.