Cousin Cyrus Pundole, 1'st June 1970 - February 2022
Hootoksi Tyabji
Cousin Cyrus
1st June 1970 – Feb 2022
Fun loving, tenacious, mad about sports, positive, curious, loving, caring - just the few words that come to mind when I think of my youngest cousin Cyrus, on the Pundole side of the family.
Though we lived in different countries and often on different continents, he was always the little “baba” I loved, somewhere out there!!
Among the memories I hold dear are two holidays we had together and the Pundole Cousins Reunion in India, beautifully organized by cousin Lale. That was the first and last time we were all together and having Cy with us was very special indeed! None of us could have imagined then, that in a few years’ time he would be diagnosed with cancer, and we would never enjoy his presence ever again.
Before Cy married, he joined our family on an unforgettable camping trip in the US at the Grand Canyon National Park. Cyrus was just a few years older to our eldest son Michel, and along with Farhad and Adil the four boys had a memorable time in an awe-inspiring location.
The other and more recent memory I treasure, is of his visit with his wife Rifat, and his daughters Zareena and Farah to our home in Malaysia. We had a wonderful time showing them around the city, trying out all the Malaysian food on offer and playing games with the children around the dining table. Cy hired a car and drove the family to Ipoh and Penang to experience all sorts of adventures on offer there!
In the last year of Cy’s life when he was struggling with the cancer treatment and the isolation of Covid, I had long and meaningful conversations with him on the phone. He began to find solace and comfort in nature, in the birds that visited his garden and the changes brought about by the seasons.
He never complained, always kept me up to date with the minutest detail of his treatment and never lost hope of recovering. He did what needed to be done in a positive way and through it all he proudly told me stories of his two precious girls and always asked after my children and grandchildren.
Dearest Cyrus - I see you every now and then in in my mind’s eye, your laughing face and happy countenance make me smile and you live forever in my mind and heart.
Click to read A Celebration of the Life of Cyrus Pundole