An elderly woman gingerly walked into the La Salle school hall and went straight to where Datuk Seri Brother Charles Michael O’Leary lay in a casket.
Accompanied by her granddaughter, she held out her hands and recited a prayer.
This was a few hours before the funeral service for the revered Irish educator at the Sacred Heart Cathedral on Monday. O’Leary died on Christmas Eve at the age of 87.
“I had four sons and they all went to this school. They are all grown up now and have children of their own. If it was not for Brother O’Leary, I would not have been able to see them succeed.”
The woman from Tanjung Aru — where the school is located and where O’Leary, in his white robe, had become an iconic figure since his arrival with the La Salle mission in 1958 — recounted that she was a single mother and worked as a cleaner when her children were in school.
“He was like a father to them.
“Brother O’Leary even made sure my children went to the mosque to pray on Fridays, telling them not to stray from their responsibilities,” she said.
The elderly woman, who related her tale outside the school hall, was among many who came to pay their last respects to O’Leary during the wake and later, at the cathedral that was packed to the brim by former students, teachers and others who knew him.
A former student, who protested a move to replace a La Salle Brother as the school principal with an officer from the state Education Department in 1987, said the episode that made the front page of newspapers back then saw the whole school standing up spontaneously to protect the institution.
“It took many by surprise and even got the old boys supporting their younger peers. Eventually, the decision to replace the Brother remained, but only after reaching an agreement to ensure that the school stayed with the mission.
“That was the time when many realised how strong the bond and camaraderie was among those who went to the school,” said the former student, who was detained by police with another schoolmate.
However, both were released after a stern warning. Despite that, they went on to protest for a week until the department agreed to meet with members of the school alumni to find a resolution. The “protester” is now a journalist.
There were tales of those from far-flung areas who walked out of the jungle to be educated by the men in white robes — the Brothers — and are now the pillars of society in Sabah.
“One of my boarding mates actually brought along rice, salt and a cooking pot. It was given by his mother, who was worried he might not be able to find food at school,” said a senior civil servant who went to the school in the 1970s.
“The school opened our eyes to many things, but the discipline imposed by the Brothers made sure we remembered our roots, stayed strong to our faith and found our calling. At least I know I did.”
A hawker in Penampang, also an ex-student of the school, said he might not have done well in his studies, but the friends he made and the things that he learnt “not from the books” were priceless.
“Imagine me, introducing my children to my classmates who are doctors, lawyers or engineers.
“They still remember me and when we meet, it’s just like the old times,” said the hawker, who was one of the main members of the school’s lion dance troupe and was the basketball team’s pointguard when he was a teenager.
Many remembered how they were not spared the rod or had their ears pulled for being naughty or lazy. None of them are complaining though, as they compared notes on their antics back then and the punishment they got the last few days before O’Leary’s funeral.
They achieved many milestones in academics, sports and extra-curricular activities.
Its international link with other schools under the De La Salle mission, as well as those within Malaysia, makes it a highly respectable learning institution for what it represents.
“I went to Manila a few times for work, and when people found out I was from a La Salle school, they would tell me it’s a good institution as there are several in the Philippines.
“It is also quite popular in Japan,” said the administrative officer with an airline company.
“This man (O’Leary) had no business in our state, but he came with a noble mission to educate the people. He stayed on for 57 years. That’s dedication and commitment.”
The writer is NST’s Sabah bureau chief