Desmond De Silva – Keeping his memory alive the way he wanted us to! – By his wife Phyllis De Silva

I know around the world there is a lot of grieving. Grieving for an Entertainer who gave his best … as was his mantra, “the show must go on”.

To me, he was a devoted husband, whose happy place was by my side. In the evenings we would sit together in our home in Sydney with our dogs and a glass of red to watch repeats of our favorite sitcoms, his laugher filling my heart. He was always content. In his words, he had “found his happy place”.

To my sons and their wives, he was just “Des” who had some quick one-liners and dad jokes that made them smile. They loved him for his kind and loving nature and his ability to make anyone and everyone feel welcome, and his fantastic pol sambol. They are only realizing now how many lives he touched through the love and support shown across social media.

I know you are all wanting answers to the millions of questions; the how/why/where and when. For now, hear it from me.

On the morning of Sunday the 9th of January, 2022, Desmond suffered a massive heart attack, causing extensive brain damage. He was tended to by paramedics and transferred to Monash hospital where I was told that there was no chance of recovery.

As I clung to my husband’s hand I begged him to never go away from me and to always show his presence around me. I told him I was letting him go for him and because I knew it would be his wish. As I kept talking to him through my tears he had a minor episode which stilled his breath. It was his way of telling me he was ready.

My dearest husband exited Life’s Stage surrounded by love. So I draw strength from that and I ask you to do it, too.

Now I ask for time to grieve and time to lovingly plan his farewell.

During the pandemic, we had quiet discussions about what we each would want for ourselves. He was very clear in his instructions to me and I will fulfill them to the detail he has given me. At that time I jokingly said we had better pray he would go first, because it seemed I have a lot to do. He smiled and reassured me that he will definitely be going before because he would not know whether he is Arthur or Martha without me.

So dear family, friends and adoring fans, I promise you that once you give me the chance to farewell my beloved husband privately, I will do all I can to facilitate any celebration of his life. Firstly, I have put in place a Tribute Concert in Sri Lanka on Desmond’s birthday, the 13th of July. Hopefully, we will be Covid free to travel and my children will travel with me to experience for the first time their roots and also to experience the magic of a man who they knew as a humble human being who was much loved.

There will be a public memorial service in Sydney and Melbourne soon after the private farewell.

Thank you for loving my husband and honouring his name, and for continuing to love and enjoy his music. Thank you for giving me time to grieve and thank you for giving me peace to farewell him privately.

He was my husband until he put on his Showman Jacket; once on stage, he belonged to his fans.

Help me keep his memory alive the way he would want us to.

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eLanka Team – Australia