In Memory Of
Jomarie Grace Lao Calasanz

Like everyone else, I still cannot believe you are gone.

You, of all people-so full of life, a bright, warm presence with her whole life ahead of her. I was so excited to see where life took you. Ikaw pa. With your grit and ambition and determination, life would not have stood a chance.

I can't believe that I will simply have to be content with all the memories I have made with you up to this point.

The handful of homecomings that you got to have over the years, and our recent trip to Thailand... that's all I will have to remember you by for the rest of my life.

If you were here, you would probably tell me that there's a reason why you're gone now. But that also, you understand why I'm crying so hard, because you would cry this hard too, if you lost you. Haha. These past 24 hours l've been crying but also allowing a couple of laughs to slip through, remembering you.

I just wish you had more time with us. You had so many more songs to sing. So many more lessons to learn, adventures to have, food to try, places to see... so many people to meet and touch with your presence. Jo, even people who only had the chance to meet you once or twice remember you and your magnetic personality. I wish I had more, but I'm thankful for the time I had with you.

I will think of you when I am at the Cinemars dining table 5 minutes before sadsad, and when they bring out the karaoke after dinner and need someone to warm up the mic. I'm so glad you got to come home more often in the last couple of years. I should have just let myself cry at the airport if I knew that was the last time I was going to see you and hug you.

We are praying for you. We are praying that we find you soon so you can finally find rest in God's hands. Please watch over us. I will look for signs from you in the light, in the bunnies, in the flowers, and in the music. Rest in peace, Jo. You are so widely and so deeply loved. I will miss you forever.

I met Jomarie through Joanne , but also through choir at Bishop Amat High School. A year passed by and I had already moved to the Bay Area for college. During Sophmore year my housing fell through. By some twist of fate Jomarie called me that same day to ask if we could live together for her first year at SFSU. It was an easy decision and from that point we became roommates. I remember her spunky, curious, and full of energy. Jo was so excited to start this new chapter and I was more than happy to bring her along to introduce her to everyone I knew at SFSU. As she got into the swing of things, I’d see her hanging out and feeling more and more comfortable on campus hanging out with friends. At times she would come home first and then I would find her and eeyore cuddled up in bed. Then Jo’s head would immediately pop up and say, “heeeeeyy do you wanna go to Jollibee with me ? Hehe” I’d laugh and say okay then hop in her little Yaris to get a late night dinner. Jo would always tell me to stop being grumpy and make fun of me. She was the first one to call me out and say, “you know you look like you could kill someone, but deep down your sweet and soft inside” followed by her cackle. From that moment on I knew I had a little sister, to protect and guide throughout her journey in college. She was someone I trusted speaking to about intricacies of music. She had the most beautiful voice and presence on stage. Performing together on stage was like second nature to us, we’d follow each others grooves and listen to blend in perfect harmonies. There are many more memories, but for now know I loved her like a sister and always had her back. My condolences and deepest sympathy to your family.

Habagat Coffee, Kapitolyo, Pasig, Philippines (Feb 2, 2025) - Didn’t think that café mirror photo would be one of our last. I’m not even the type to take photos, but that moment felt too rare not to save for the Marianing GC. We laughed about how our titos and titas always ask for group pics, so she compromised by peeking through the mirror just so we’d both be in frame. Now I wish we should’ve just listened and took a hundred more instead. Even though this is the only tangible thing that I could hold on to, I still remember everything from this moment so clearly. We talked about everything—from lactose intolerance struggles to our next big moves: law school, living abroad. We were sipping our coffees (which unfortunately had dairy, what happened next is left for interpretation 🚽) and yapping like we’ve got our lives figured out. Born the same year, dreaming the same dreams… sometimes I think our moms plotted this from the start 😂 Now that I’m doing this solo, I’ll carry her dreams with me. The 1998 Lao babies flag will continue to fly, while she watches and guides me from above. Rest in peace, Jomarie. From your cousin and your life classmate, Beau

Jomarie was a true friend in every sense of the word. I feel incredibly lucky that our paths crossed during our time in choir at Amat. Not a day goes by that I don’t feel grateful for the bond we built. She wasn’t just incredibly talented; she was also one of the kindest and most genuine people I’ve ever known. We grew close during SCVA choir camps, sharing laughs, inside jokes, and unforgettable moments. She had a great sense of style and was always helping me pick out outfits. She just had a way of making everything better. In high school, Jomarie had my back like no one else. She knew how to cheer me up when I was down, how to make me laugh when I needed it most, and how to simply be there. I’ll always love her for that. Even after we graduated, we stayed close. I visited her in San Francisco for a weekend, and it was one of the best times. We spent those days laughing, eating, singing, and exploring her city. She welcomed me with so much warmth, and I’ll never forget how full of life and joy she was.

I met Jomarie during our college orientation. We became friends that day because the universe put us together in the same group. We picked our first semester classes together and later, during the semester, she introduced me to the Filipino org on campus. That's where everyone knew me as "Jomarie's friend" before they knew me as Alexis; I love being Jomarie's friend. That space is where I've met my closest friends and my partner. I am forever grateful for Jomarie having introduced me to the space where I met so many of my loved ones and support system. Jomarie was my first friend in college and one of the dearest people in my life. During our freshmen year, she used to share audio files of her recorded songs with me so that I could listen to them well before they were released anywhere.

When I was looking for a bassist for my upcoming show, I DM’ed her because she mentioned that she was starting to learn how to play the bass guitar. I sent her my songs and after one day, she sent me a clip of her learning my song, and it sounded perfectly as how I played it on my recording.

When I was in Philippines, the time I met Jomarie was when I was going through such a difficult time in my life. We were in Tangalan beach in Marianing and we had only seen each other a few times during Atiatihan, we were all playing in the water but everyone decided to go back to play sports on the sand, I wanted to contemplate because I was going back to London soon and she stayed with me, we spoke about life, our experiences, our coping mechanisms. It was the one time we really got to know each other and she had so much warmth & compassion and we ended up laughing and deciding to join every one else again. We felt refreshed and at peace after our long chat and I’ll never forget how much she helped me put things into perspective. I know we weren’t super close because we had only met a few times, but that moment was impactful for me and that memory with her will always be close to my heart

I met Jomarie in Fall Semester of 2016 through SF State's PACE internship. She was so sweet and funny whenever we would interact in school. We shared our love for being dog parents since she would always bring Eeyore on campus. Our 10-week program of Internship and trip to CSU Fullerton's Friendship Games were some of the most unforgettable times I had in college. I'm so blessed Jo was a part of it all. I could also never forget all the times she would perform for PACE shows throughout the school year. She was an unbelievable singer. I'll always remember her covers of "Distance" by Emily King and "Say a Little Prayer" by Aretha Franklin. The most cherished memory I'll have of her was when she was casted as our leading lady for SF State's 46th Pilipino Cultural Night: "Ako, Ikaw, Tayo." Apart from her singing, she expanded her talents as an amazing actress. Unfortunately due to the COVID pandemic, Jo and I never had a proper in-person goodbye when we finished school, and by then she had already moved back home to SoCal. We would always exchange pleasantries through social media, and I was so proud of her with all the content she was producing through BuzzFeed and OneDownMedia. I was so devastated by the news of her passing. I wish Jo's family and closest friends all the love and healing they need during this unimaginable time. She was a beautiful and kindhearted soul that we lost way too soon, and I hope we can ultimately see her again one day.