Dear Editor,

In many Western cultures, Friday the 13th of any month is associated with fears of misfortunes occurring. This dates back many centuries and for many reasons. For example, in biblical records, Judas, the 13th guest at The Last Supper, left early to betray Jesus, who was crucified the following Friday.

I was rapping with a friend on Friday, August 28, 2026 and shared that I will always be grateful to Dervan Malcolm for the enlightenment he gave regarding the calendar cycle of Friday the 13th. It was then I was hit hard with news of his passing.

I listened to Malcolm for many years, and was captivated by his intriguing stories during his three illustrious decades on radio. His shows were not just interesting and entertaining, but also educational, enlightening, and empowering.

He left an indelible imprint on many of his listeners, and I recall vividly when in 2005 on the talk show Laing and Company on Power 106, Malcolm informed listeners that whenever the month starts on a Sunday, there will always be a Friday the 13th within that month. Wow! At the time I had three decades of formal education, liked doing mental maths, and never figured out this predictable pattern.

Since 2005, I have shared this fact in conversations with possibly 100 or more people from all spheres of life, from ages 30 to 88 years, including maths and science teachers, accountants, artisans, attorneys-at law, doctors, engineers, managers, pastors, pharmacists, etc, and the responses have been either fascination, pleasant surprise (only one rejection), and almost always an admission and appreciation, because this was a revelation.

Let’s look out, there will be another Friday the 13th in 2026!

Rest in peace, Dervan. Thanks for all the enlightenment.

Daive R Facey

DR.Facey@gmail.com