Chronicle of a Farewell: The Echo of a Voice That Will Not Fade.
Today we not only mourn her passing, but we celebrate, with a heavy heart yet full of pride, the journey of a journalist who, like the radio waves she loved so much, now travels beyond silence, transformed into an indelible symbol.
A different kind of silence, heavy with memory and respect, filled the Radio 26 studios. It wasn’t the silence of waiting, but the silence of recent absence, the silence left by a voice that has abruptly become an echo.
The staff of the Matanzas radio station, united in grief, wove a tribute with tears and anecdotes to our colleague Leonor Fariñas Portela, whose earthly journey has ended, leaving a void that resonated in every corner of the station.
The gathering was a true reflection of the life Leonor built: diverse, warm, and full of affection. Not only were her closest colleagues present; the farewell brought together friends, retired journalists who shared university classrooms and newsrooms with her, and a heartfelt representation from TV Yumurí and the Girón newspaper. It was the full spectrum of a professional and personal life that touched many hearts.
At the heart of that shared grief, like a steadfast oak beside a river of sorrow, stood Gerardo, her husband. By his side, unwavering in his solidarity, remained Pedro Rizo, president of the UPEC in the province, who never left his side throughout the entire funeral procession, until the final, intimate moment when her ashes mingled with the surf on Buey Vaca beach, the place she herself, in a gesture of serene premonition, had chosen for her eternal rest.
The ceremony, a delicate and poignant mosaic in her honor, opened with the most heart-wrenching sound: her own voice. The sound waves brought her back, reading with her characteristic passion, excerpts from José Martí. It was then that Gerardo’s stoicism crumbled. The voice of his beloved, emerging from the shadows, pierced his soul, and the tears, held back with such effort, flowed with uncontrollable force. It was the cruel paradox of having her so near and yet so far away.
One by one, the attendees took the floor to weave, with threads of memory, the tapestry of her life. Pancho Soriano, the sports commentator, transported us to a Cárdenas of shared childhoods, revealing the Leonor before the microphone. Odalys Oriol Miranda, the station director, sketched with heartfelt words the profile of the dedicated journalist, the irreplaceable colleague.
Anecdotes then emerged that, amidst the grief, brought bittersweet smiles, like the memory of her personal battle with the elusive Polish Fiat she was given, a symbol of her daily, earthly struggles.
Her profound devotion to Martí and Fidel Castro was reiterated, like a mantra of her unwavering faith. But above all, the gathering was filled with the love, friendship, and dedication that fueled her life.
University classmates evoked the young woman brimming with ideals; other colleagues highlighted the loyal friend, the ever-ready colleague.
As the voices followed one another, Gerardo, her lifelong companion, listened, his gaze lost in some happy memory. Emotion, a lump too large for him to speak, prevented him from doing so, but his silence was more eloquent than any words. With a handshake and a glance, he acknowledged the help he had received, and especially the unwavering support of Pedro Rizo. The tribute concluded, but the sense of loss lingered, hanging in the air of the radio station.
Leonor has departed physically, laid to rest in the sea she chose, but her essence, her voice, her example, remain indelibly etched in the memory of Radio 26.
Today we not only mourn her passing, but we also celebrate, with heavy hearts yet filled with pride, the legacy of a journalist who, like the radio waves she loved so much, now travels beyond silence, becoming an indelible symbol.
Written by Enrique Tirse.
