A billionaire’s daughter passed away at the young age of 29. With so many dreams and plans ahead of her, her untimely death grieved her friends and family. But the billionaire’s inspiring eulogy gave hope as he described his daughter’s fulfilled life in Jesus.
Billionaire’s inspiring eulogy
Henry Sy Jr., the SM Prime Holdings chairman, lost his daughter, Jan Catherine, to sepsis. It is a condition that damages the tissues and can be fatal.
The business tycoon reflected on his family’s unexpected turn of events and gave an inspiring eulogy about his compassionate daughter.
Henry Sy Jr.
“All I can say, it has broken me. The proud man that I was, was focused on three things of this earth.”
He went on to narrate, “Money, which was always my concern. Relationships, perhaps my intense attachment to my family was also another form of idolatry. Prestige, I took pride and satisfaction in accomplishments and being the best at what I do.”
He described Jan as a lover of Jesus. Since she was a girl, Jan would keep asking her father to come with her to church. And moments before she was intubated, she was able to tell her family that she was ready to meet Jesus.
Jan’s heart was for the poor – she planned to “build facilities to help restore the dignity of human life God intended.”
Trust God with all your heart
And although Henry, along with his family, currently cannot understand the reason behind her early death, God was clear with His message. “To trust Him with all my heart [and ] not to lean on my own understanding. But in everything and all my ways, to acknowledge Him,” he said.
“Yes, Jan was never mine, to begin with. She was loaned to us for 29 years, and what a beautiful gift she was from God.”
Jan Catherine Sy
Henry continued, “Her earnest desire was for all to be saved for eternity. To come to personally and experientially KNOW and TRUST in her Saviour Jesus Christ. Just as she did, when she accepted His free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9) through the forgiveness of all her sins… through the Cross, believing in the finished work of Christ Jesus. (John 19:30).”
The Sy family rejoices in the truth that Jan lives and will never die because she has eternal life in Jesus. And soon, in the perfect time, they will be with her, celebrating Jesus forever.
He ends his message with reference from Job 1:21, “He gives, He takes, my heart will choose to say, LORD BLESSED BE YOUR NAME.”
Read the full eulogy here.
