THREE days before his 64th birthday, family members, mourners, friends and well-wishers gathered at The Upper Room Church on Shortwood Road, St Andrew last month to celebrate the life of Danny Gilzene, a well-respected entrepreneur from Grants Pen.

Gilzene died suddenly after suffering a heart attack on January 12.

In eulogising his life, Karen Gilzene, his sister, said it is a pity that the family lost Gilzene just 16 days before he would have celebrated his birthday.

“The Lord said to be absent with the body is to be present with the Lord. My brother Danny lived a life which was of a good example to others in the community around him, for years. I am very happy to say that my brother Danny and I had a very good relationship,” Karen said smiling.

She recalled that her brother had the ability to earn respect from community members because he was a down-to-earth and honest individual.

“As you can see, the whole community is here to support him. As you can see, there are old people as well as young people here. He was a good connector. Danny was just Danny. He never changed. Danny has just been a real brother to all of us. He was always willing, and, to me, that was love. He loved to laugh and laughed at most things. He loved to cook, and for those attributes, I will miss him,” she said

She added that her brother loved all of his nine children and tried his utmost to show each equal compassion and love during their formative years.

“He showed his children; Chris, Pauline, Val, Oliver, Julian, Simone, Al, Danielle and Shaquille equal compassion. As they say, ‘You can never give what you never had’. He gave what he had. I hope you as siblings will practise love as he did or even better,” she said.

Many mourners wanted to offer tributes in the open tributes section, but only three were allowed.

According to his doctor, Dr Audley Betton, Gilzene was a patient of good courage who would come to him for regular check-ups.

“Since 1975 I have known him. I came to this community as a medical officer in 1975 and I met him then. Since that time he became my patient and friend. I have developed a good relationship with the community and a good relationship with many patients because of Danny’s influence and encouragement for good health,” Dr Betton told Life Tributes.

Gilzene lost an arm during a car accident. Dr Betton was of the opinion that was the event which forced him to become a responsible man who took his health seriously.

Gilzene was interred at the Dovecot Memorial Gardens in St Catherine.