Dear Mananya’s friends,
April 19, 2011
As you may have already known, my dear friend Dr Mananya Tantiwiwat (or Nammon, as I call her) has passed away at around 1:35 PM yesterday (April 18, 2011) in Santa Barbara, California. (Thailand time: 3:35 AM, April-19) She was 28 years old. This email is to give you more information about what will happen next.
The Tantiwiwat family has made every attempt during this difficult time to ensure that this email only goes to those who know Mananya. If you feel that you are not related to this matter, please kindly ignore this email or reply with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the first line and your email address will be removed from the list. Please also accept my sincerest apology if you have received this email multiple times.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Mananya was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. Since then, she has been receiving treatments from the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara and related agencies. There have been ups and downs throughout the process. The details are delicate, beautiful, and very inspiring. However, out of respect for Mananya’s privacy, I shall keep it brief on the illness part until the family finds the correct balance between privacy vs complete information. Let’s just say that she died very peacefully with exactly all her wishes fulfilled at the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. She was under the care of the palliative care doctor Michael Kearney who assured us this morning that she was “beyond any suffering”. Her dad Manoonsak, her mother Sureeya, her brother Petch/Jeerayoos were all present at the time. I and a few close friends were also lucky enough to be there. 🙂
THE PLAN FOR MANANYA
The Tantiwiwat family wants to have a traditional Thai Buddhist style funeral for Mananya in her motherland, the Kingdom of Thailand, as soon as it is feasible. Her body will be transported in an orderly, dignified way to Thailand. The ceremony will be held at Wat Phra Sri Maha Taat temple in Bangkok. She will be cremated. Her extended family and friends in Thailand will get to join the funeral and ceremony.
THE LOGISTICS
McDermott-Crockett & Associates Mortuary will take care of Mananya’s body for a few days before the necessary paperwork and travel arrangements can be made for her to be transported to Thailand. Jennifer at McDermott-Crockett assured us that she will take care of all the necessary tasks such as obtaining the death certificates, transportation permits, arranging for cargo, etc. We hope to use the Thai Airways as the family (mother, father, and brother) already have the return tickets and wish to accompany her on the same flight. Her insurance is likely to cover the transportation costs including the mortuary costs.
CAN WE SEE MANANYA?
I was told by Jennifer at McDermott-Crockett that while Mananya is resting there, she can get visitors. Please check with them about the visit rules and whether or not we can send cards or flowers. Please also call to check before visiting just in case she has to “commute” to the hospital for organ and tissue donation. (Yes, she has been giving all her life and she continues to give even after her death.) Mananya will stay there until she can fly. This will likely be around Friday +/- one day. I will let you know when the date becomes more certain.
The mortuary’s information:
McDermott-Crockett & Associates Mortuary
2020 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Tel:Â 800-842-5241 or 805-569-2424
http://www.mcdermottcrockett.com/
MEMORIAL SERVICE IN SANTA BARBARA?
The Tantiwiwat family is focused on bringing Mananya back to her home in Thailand. We do not have a capacity to organize a memorial service here but we do not resist any attempt by her friends to do so. In fact, we would welcome it. 🙂
MANANYA’S GRADUATION
Mananya has been with the University of California Santa Barbara since 2005 in the PhD program in Physics. Professor Thuc-Quyen Nguyen is her advisor. After almost 6 years of hard work (even while she was going through treatments), she finally got her dissertation approved by the committee on April 14, 2011, successfully and beautifully completing her duty as a Royal Thai Government’s scholarship student just four days before she passed away. The “graduation” pictures have brought tears of joy to the photographer’s eyes (i.e. mine!). The link below is the public album for everyone to see.
https://picasaweb.google.com/panuakdet/CongratsDrNammonPublicAlbum#
There is also a private album that I think Mananya would like me to share with only those who’re very close and have already seen her at the hospital. If you need access please kindly ask me for the link.
FINALLY
I hope that the transition process will be as smooth and as beautiful as possible for the Tantiwiwat family. I will do my best to facilitate communication. Please feel free to call or email. I may not be able to respond right away, but I will read all the emails eventually. If the matter is urgent and important, please call repeatedly and leave a short voice mail. I really thank you all for your support.
With Love,
– mock / Panuakdet Suwannatat
1-805-450-7320
mocksk@gmail.com
P.S. Send me your email address if you want to be included in further notifications.