Vivient, in his comportment and speech, showed a deep attachment to his Christian faith. To him, becoming a Christian was not an inherited trait or task but a long-lasting commitment to obeying the teachings of Jesus. Vi loved God and strove to live a life an exemplary of faith. He believed in building long-lasting relationships, and many of his friends and customers became extensions of his family.

His every leisure moment was devoted to following God’s commandments by helping those in need and being a great husband and doting father. His attitude towards his community and the world at large was that of gratitude and love, and as he vowed to do, he left the world a better place.  

On August 15, 2005, Vivient and Rosy welcomed their first son, Noah. Words cannot fully describe the elation the young couple felt for the boy was a perfect blend of mother and father. Six years went by before the couple welcomed their second son, Joaquin, on January 30, 2012. They called him their miracle child. Both children were adored from the moment they were conceived. To Vivient, there was no greater joy than the joy of parenting. Not fathering but parenting - the hard, laborious and often unrewarded task of raising a child. To him such a task was rewarding in itself. And if anyone had gotten parenting down to a science, it was yours truly.

From the moment they woke up to the time they said their goodnights, Vi looked after his boys, Noah and Joaquin, with unmatched dedication and gratitude. To him, raising children was not solely a woman’s prerogative but that of every true man. His kids knew no mischief escaped his eyes. Still, they would attest he disciplined them with love, and adoringly listened to their childish grievances. Vi was determined to raise his boys progressively: with love, understanding and through constant dialogue. He loved Noah, his eldest, with a tender sort of love and was always looking for ways to relate to the young lad. He wasn’t ashamed to say “I had to study basketful so Noah and I can have something to talk about, something we could both get excited about…”and as for Joaquin, he often chuckle and say “that one…” with love. His kids were his life and what a fulsome life it was.

In Rosy’s words - “Vivient was a SUPER DAD, Devoted and absolutely Amazing. He was a problem-solver and had a natural intuitive sense of best resolutions to problems.”

It is generally accepted that men love their wives and yet one of the hardest truths to swallow is few men know how to love their wives. Vi knew how to love Marie-Rose (Rosy) his wife of 18 years. He loved her with a deep and calm love that didn’t go unnoticed when one visited their home. Rosy’s voice was music to his ears; when she walked into the room, his serene face suddenly lit up in a perceptible smile. Around her he was most happy and relaxed and couldn’t help showering his wife with praise.

Theirs was not just a marriage, it was an enviable partnership of equals, for Vi was a walking feminist who believed women are just as brilliant if not more so than men. And his Rosy embodied the best of womanhood: resilience, adaptability, passion and faith.

Together they triumphed over life’s many challenges, never yielding to the temptation to blame each other for things gone wrong. If you asked Rosy who was the better half, she would say in a heartbeat, Vi is the better half. She would readily acknowledge that he was God sent, an angel sent from heaven to guide and comfort her through life’s upheavals. He was the man of her dreams. Her life and love, and the amazing father of her two boys.