Farewell My Friend
In all our lives we encounter losses but some are so significant that it seems hard to pick up and move on. That happened earlier this month with the news that Tony Leon Guerrero had finally fallen to an illness that had wrecked his body but never his spirit.
Anthony A. Leon Guerrero was more than a friend to me he was my big brother. His intellect and insight projected a charisma and wisdom far beyond his years. He was kind yet firm fair yet passionate proud yet humble of the accomplishments that he and his father had achieved. Taking a small start-up bank on a remote island economy and turning it into the largest banking institution in the Western Pacific was no accident. It was the realization of a vision. Albeit initiated by his father it was a vision Tony made real.
It was a vision for his business but more than that it was a vision for his people. Never ever would he allow the words "it can not be done" spoken in his presence. He was not interested in what prevented dreams from coming true. He was dedicated to making them real. In the end that is what we lost most with the passing of my friend – his vision. For he could see in his twinkling brown eyes a Guam that rivaled any other community in the world in prosperity opportunity compassion and quality of life. He knew that such visions must be lived to be believed and the greatest achievement of the Bank of Guam for the island of Guam is that it is the manifestation of just that kind of vision.
It seems so cruel that we lost someone so young with so much to contribute. But now with his passing let us etch in our souls his commitment to make true the hopes the dreams and beauty that he saw in all of us. And join me in taking a solemn oath that we as business people and neighbors will do all that we can to make his vision of Guam real. Let that be his legacy and his greatest gift to us all.
– Jay R. Merrill
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