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The family of one of the Filipino crew members on the trawler that sank last week has paid tribute to a “loving” and “generous” man with “big dreams” who stepped up to the call of being the breadwinner of the family”.
Larry Simyunn and Jervis Ramirez Baligat had been working alongside Mr Michieli on L’Ecume II, which collided with the Commodore Goodwill in St. Ouen’s Bay around 05:30 last Thursday.
Despite extensive searches of the area involving Jersey, Guernsey and French authorities, as well as the local fishing community, none of the three have been found.
Police confirmed yesterday that two bodies had been found near the site of the fishing trawler L'Ecume II in St. Ouen's Bay - they were brought to shore last night.
Pictured: Larry was described as "a bright-eyed, warm-hearted, fun-loving soul."
Larry's aunt, Gigi Skye said: "His entire life, Larry has always had such a deep love for his family. He was selflessly driven, devoting everything he had to the people he loved most.
“He was a bright-eyed, warm-hearted, fun-loving soul with an undeterred enthusiasm to tackle whatever challenges life brought- the very quality that eventually drew him away from his beloved family and onto dangerous work environments.
“He was the definition of courage; a very hard-working hero for his entire family.”
Gigi explained how her nephew - who would spend nine months at a time working in Jersey and sending money back to the Philippines - was determined to save enough money to support his ailing father and to provide an education for his nieces, nephews, and eventually himself.
Larry had plans to pursue carpentry or masonry, and then to someday settle down and have a family of his own.
His aunt added: "Larry stepped up to the call of being the breadwinner of the family. He was a faithful and loving son, a generous brother and uncle, and a thoughtful friend to many.”
Pictured: "Larry stepped up to the call of being the breadwinner of the family."
Larry’s family life was not always easy, after he suffered devastating losses during the pandemic, losing his beloved mother to ovarian cancer and his brother to a terminal illness just months apart.
Gigi paid tribute to how Larry always carried on, despite the difficulties he faced.
She said: "Through all of his hardships and heartaches, Larry persevered and continued to hold onto the faith that life would improve, that through his life's honest work he could cultivate change if he continued to hope for a better future.
“Larry's happiness was to provide. His family’s prosperity was his greatest dream. A fearless yet gentle soul, Larry was dearly loved and will be profoundly missed.”
Speaking of the fundraiser set up by Rebecca Michieli - the daughter of skipper, Michael ‘Mick’ Michieli – which has now raised almost £90,000, Gigi said that her and her family were “grateful beyond words”.
She said: "I'm incredibly touched at the sight of all the donations that the community has put together in the victims' honour, and the amount of support shown by all the donors has been overwhelming in a positive way.”
Pictured: The fundraiser's total has reached almost £90,000 at the time of writing.
"I don't personally know much about how the funds will be allocated, but I find comfort in the fact that Larry's immediate family and those that relied on him will have access to such potential for healthcare and education,” she added.
"The difference that these donations will make for the families of those lost is indescribably meaningful, and though I'm many miles away, I'm still grateful beyond words."
Bodies recovered from sunken trawler L'Ecume II brought to shore
Shining together in the darkness - a reflection on last night's moving service
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