Alden Habacon, a diversity advocate based in Metro Vancouver, died on December 2 in an accident in Hawaii. He was 50 years old.
Habacon, who left behind his wife, Rose, and three sons, Aiden, Rei, and Rylen, was two years old when his family moved to Canada from the Philippines.
His brother-in-law Rudy Chung posted on social media the following announcement on December 12:
“On behalf of the Habacon and Chung families, we have some heartbreaking & devastating news to share. Our beloved Alden E. Habacon has passed away unexpectedly. There are no words to express the sadness and pain of our loss. He was a giant in the arts and cultural communities, a tireless champion for the underprivileged and underrepresented, and a beloved mentor and friend to many. He spent much of his life fighting for others who couldn’t fight for themselves. Most importantly, he was the most amazing dad of three remarkable young boys, Aiden, Rei, and Rylen, and the most incredible husband to the love of his life, Rose. They were his pride and joy, his biggest accomplishment in life, and his whole world: his love for them was unbounded and without compromise.
“We will miss him dearly. We will reflect fondly on how he has impacted so many people. He will always be with us.
“There has been an endless outpouring of support and love from so many friends, family and the arts & cultural community: a testament to how many people Alden touched and impacted at a deep, personal level.
“An overwhelming number of people have reached out to find a way to help and to honour Alden’s memory: your kind words of support have been enough. However, a few amazing hockey parents have set up a Go Fund Me page (https://gofund.me/32f2a775) to continue his boys’ passion and love for the game, but also to support them with any future needs to be the best they can be in everything they do. It was also Alden’s life mission to make the world a better, more tolerant place for his children to grow up in.
“His passing leaves a tremendous void, not only in the lives of his family but also in the hearts of everyone who was touched by his generosity, spirit and passion. He would be honoured to see his three boys continue to be happy and to embrace the love for life with the same wonderment, thoughtfulness, and gratitude he had.
“The families ask for privacy at this time to grieve and to lovingly reflect on their time with him. A service will be planned at Forest Lawn Funeral Home, tentatively set for Monday Dec 30th — more details to follow, and please check the Forest Lawn website at a later date. There will also be a live web feed of the service for those who cannot attend and/or live abroad.
“A separate and more casual social event to raise a glass & celebrate his work and life will be planned for a weekend in January (to be announced). All are welcome.
“We love you, Alden. Thank you for being the brilliant beacon of light in a sometimes dark & cynical world, and for more opening our hearts & minds, always with kindness. We will see you again one day.
“With love,
The Chung & Habacon families”
