Our Dear Dedda

I wrote these words as part of a tribute to our dear grandfather, on behalf of his grandchildren...

Thinking about our beloved grandfather, Achmad Sadick Saban

Who was lovingly and affectionately known as DEDDA to us

Brings tears to our eyes

But also so much love and so many memories...

Dedda... The one who's face lit up whenever he saw you

Who always greeted you like you were the best part of his day

His jokes and laughter

Who appreciated every single little thing that you did for him

Or gave to him

Such a genuine person in every aspect of life

We'll always remember...

The kites he made for us on windy days

The cricket bats for a game in driveway

The carts and cars and so much more

He was so talented with wood

And with making things

And with fixing things

He was our McGuyver

We knew, if it was broken... Dedda will find a way to fix it

Never worry or fear if Dedda was near

And he was... He was always near and he was always there

He saw electronic things and technology as a challenge

Instead of being overwhelmed by technology, he loved finding out how it works

Dedda has been using a cell phone for years!

And not just answering phone calls

But making them...

And sending sms's too

He was so talented in so many ways

When he made things or fixed things

He would show you how, if you were interested he would teach you

And such a good teacher he was too

We remember... his beige Ford Escort that he would lovingly take Mamma wherever she wanted to go

And fetch us from school, where our friends would affectionately say "hello Mr Miyagi"

His savvy shopping skills

The soup he made on rainy days

His love of sport! He was an avid supporter of South African teams, especially in rugby and cricket

He always supported the Springboks, Stormers, Western Province

And yet he admired the way the New Zealand teams played as well – he was fair like that :)

There are so many more memories

And so much more to say

We learned so much from him

Some things tangible and some intangible

Generosity, honesty, dedication, perseverance, hope

spirituality, salaah, duah, hardwork and playtime

The importance of family, friendship, relationships, supporting each other

Joy... So much joy and smiles and laughter

But most of all...

LOVE

Showing it, expressing it, living it

He made such an impact on our lives

We will always love and remember our beloved DEDDA

May Allah grant him Jannatul Firdous

Insha-Allah ameen

R

16 July 2011