It was love at first sight, a son’s flying dream and the sad reality of losing them to God’s calling.
William Marshall’s vacation to Fiji in 1966 was about sun, sand, sea and pure tranquillity.
But it ended up being more than he had bargained for, he fell in love with a woman who took his breath away.
William, a Canadian had crossed paths with Mariama Daugunu of Saqui, Cakaudrove in Suva, a brief introduction is all it took for the two to fall in love.
“It was pure coincidence,” said William.
It was not long before the couple got married, and son Michael Marshall was born.
After living in Fiji for many years, they decided to move to New Zealand.
Canada calling
The Williams lived in New Zealand for 14 years before he followed his heart to Canada.
He said he had been away for long and decided it was time to return home.
“Home is where the heart is.”
Life had been good for wife Mariama and son Michael, settling in well with the Canadian way of living.
Young Michael grew into cross-culture, loved Canada, and at the same time was being instilled the Fijian way of life, its strong culture and values.
Flying school
William says Micheal was as intrigued about aero-planes as he was about flying.
After his high school Michael went on to graduate from Trinity University.
Later enrolled with the accredited Altair Aviation Limited flying school and he became a pilot commercial pilot in 1988.
Fiji move
William said his wife talked into Michael to relocate to Fiji so he could fly with Air Pacific.
“My wife wanted our son to go back to Fiji and fly, Michael didn’t disappoint,” William said.
“Mariama who had strong ties to Fiji, talked our son into becoming a pilot for the Fijian airline Air Pacific, and in 1991 the two were in tow to Fiji where Michael landed a job as a first officer on the ATR42 aircraft.
“My wife stayed with Michael for three months till he was on his own.
“It was a joyous time for us as our only son who had persevered so much for flying and did he ever love his job with Air Pacific.”
Michael said his son moved up the flying ranks very quickly, adding in 1992 Michael was at the Boeing Training Facility in Seattle, USA, where he trained on the 737 and the 767 model aircraft.
“The transition was prompt. Michael was a quick learner. From first officer to captain was in a very short spell.”
Found love of his life
Michael followed his father’s suit, he had fallen in love with his sweetheart, Mary Work of Kulukulu, Nadroga.
The two dated for a few years and in 1994 they decided to exchange vows.
On move
William said his son was all about the future, an ambitious young man and when the opportunity served in Oman, Arabian Peninsula, in West Asia he took it with open arms.
The Williams relocated to Oman, he spent 2005-2006 with Oman Airlines.
Tragedy at home
Williams’s wife who was diagnosed with cancer in 2003 succumbed to the illness in 2004, Michael took it to heart, he even contemplated resigning at Oman Airlines.
“It was very hard on Michael.”
Michael had been heartbroken, he recollected and with the support of Mary, his wife the family decided to remain in Oman.
“For the next 2-years, 2007-2009 he moved on with the Qatar Airlines as a chief pilot on the A330 airbus.”
Michael returns to Fiji-falls ill
Michael returned to Fiji in 2010 and started flying with the Air Pacific.
He was home, and living life to the fullest and then he suddenly fell ill.
Mysterious as it was, and before he could be diagnosed, he passed away at a young age and leaving behind his wife and 3 children.
Micheal was buried in Kulu Kulu, Nadroga, his wife’s village.
“My son was energetic, loved his family, work and Fiji, and he would help anyone he could,” said William.
“You can’t replace a person like that. He was just an apple of our eye.”
Cherish memories
All William Marshall has are the photos and memories of his wife Mariama Daugunu Williams his son Michael Williams and grandchildren.
He said that the worst part of holding the memories is not the pain; it’s the lowliness of it and memories that have no ears, and can’t be shared.
William said life is all about moments, live like there ain’t tomorrow, value loved ones, adding who else knows better than God what befalls.
“No matter how much suffering you go through, you never want to let go of good times and memories.”
William said all he has of his wife and son are photographs.
And what he likes about photographs is that they capture moment that’s gone forever but impossible to reproduce.
William Marshall is survived by Michael’s wife Mary Work William, granddaughters Sarah and Rachel William, and grandsons Eric and William Marshall.
