Jeta eshte e shkurter per miqesi hipokrite – Aristoteli
Per me shume se 60 vjet miqesi mes 2 patriotesh qe ja dedikuan jeten e tyre çeshtjes se Kombit Shqiptar mes Zef Perndocaj dhe Dr. Gjon Buçaj u nderpre fatkeqesisht me 24 Gusht 2020 kur nacionalisti Zef Perndocaj dha lamturine e fundit.
Duke filluar qe femije kur i shpetuan tmerrin komunist ne Shqiperi ne Jugosllavi dhe me pas refugjate ne Itali dhe me vone bashke ne SHBA. Te edukuar me ndjenjen e forte te patrtiotizmit shqiptar, dhe te persekutuar dhe te ndjekur nga komunizmi gjithe jeten qe ne Shqiperi e Jugosllavi larg familljareve te tyre mes veshtiresive me te medha ata asnjehere nuk harruan principet e kombit shqiptar dhe te nderit, drejtesise, miresise dhe beses.
Gjate ketyre dekadave miqesi ata luftuan bashke komunizmin kudo qe ishin, luftuan korrupsionin dhe denuan me force armiqte e kombit shqiptar qofshin ata shqiptare apo te huaj, Nuk ndaluan se luftuari spiune dhe sabotatore te çeshtjes se nacionalizmit shqiptare dhe mbrojten me force lirine dhe demokracine ne diasporen shqiptare ne SHBA, ne Kosove, ne Shqiperi dhe ne gjithe trojet shqiptare.
ATA qendruan besnike te VATRES gjithe jeten e tyre dhe atehere kur VATRA ne keto 3 vjet e fundit u perplasi karriket me dhune dhe u mbylli dyert,
Nje miqesi qe do te qendroje ne perjetesi.
Life is too short for shallow friendships-–Aristotle
In the muggy predawn hours of August 22, 2020, Dr. Gjon Buçaj, 86, traveled from Sterling, Virginia to Middletown, New York to attend the requiem mass and burial—with military funeral honors—of his niece’s husband, Anthony (Tony) Martini. Tony’s joy-filled life of family, friendship, music, and service to others culminated in a warm and memorable farewell after a bout with cancer.
Immediately following, Dr. Buçaj visited his lifelong friend and companion, Zef Përndocaj of White Plains, New York. Known in the Albanian Highlands as Zef Ndue Biba, he had been suffering the residual effects of a year-old stroke, and hadn’t opened his eyes in weeks when Dr. Buçaj called out to him from bedside. Mr. Përndocaj moaned, shifted, and finally lifted his eyelids seemingly recognizing his best friend. It was a fleeting moment, yet one with profound meaning, as the family members, with smiles on their faces, revealed it was the first time Mr. Përndocaj had done so since the last video call between the two men.
Dating back to their common hardships as Albanian refugees in communist Yugoslavia, the proud countrymen, and the embodiment of patriotism, have been through thick and thin: pursued and persecuted by communist Albania; surveilled and oppressed in Yugoslavia; scattered and separated from family and loved ones in exile, but never letting go of their principles and honor.
They visited the sick, buried the dead, and celebrated life. They were always there for each other. Throughout the decades they boldly combated communism and corruption, consistently condemned our enemies, foreign and domestic, fended off spies and saboteurs, and advocated for freedom and democracy in Albania and Kosova.
As stalwart pillars of the Albanian-American community, they are unique role models for future generations, because they never sought self-interests. Mr. Përndocaj’s virtuous character and courageous spirit were on full display as recently as March 3, 2018, when, in the face of hypocrisy and cowardice, he publicly tore up a “letter of appreciation” from a disgraced diplomat in the presence of his silent supporters who wished Mr. Përndocaj would just shake hands and sit down.
Indeed, when the son of Mirdita refuted baseless claims that Dr. Buçaj wrote an anonymous letter replete with discrediting facts, the son of Enver Hoxha’s lawman unveiled his true colors by verbally assaulting the 80-year-old activist whose integrity is impenetrable and word unbreakable. Unfortunately, the fracture within the oldest Albanian American organization, caused by the communist party’s byproduct and his phony patriots, weighed heavily on Mr. Përndocaj’s heart. However, after well over a half-century of an unbendable bond, Dr. Buçaj, most assuredly, comforted his confidante with one final, whispered message. Evidently, the message was received, for Mr. Përndocaj peacefully departed this world roughly 48 hours later surrounded by the affection of his devoted son and daughter in the loving arms of his beloved bride.
Returning to the car ahead of the long trip home, Dr. Buçaj lamented aloud, “even after all the praying I’ve done for his recovery, I think that’s the last time that I will see him alive.”
Miqësia mbi 60 vjeçare e dy patriotëve të devotshëm Zef Perndocaj & Dr. Gjon Buçaj u ndërpre në tokë pasi Z.Perndocaj dha lamtumirën e fundit
