Former Philippine football team standout Norman Fegidero sent an e-mail message to his Thailand-based brother, Dave, Tuesday, informing him that he already had Dave's entry form for the 2007 Southeast Asian Games.

Dave, a member of the Philippine futsal team that will mark its SEA Games debut this December in Thailand, never answered.

The following day, Norman received the grim news from Dave's best friend, James Rafols: Dave passed away after sustaining injuries caused by a motorcycle accident in the Southern Thailand city of Hat Yai at 11 p.m. Tuesday.

He was 29.

"We are shocked. We were expecting him to come home to (Bacolod) when his contract ends this December," Norman, the football coach of West Negros College, told the DAILY STAR.

Aside from Norman, Dave, the eighth among nine siblings, is survived by brothers Samson and Joshua as well as sisters Leilani, Shiela, Honeylee, Rossini and Norma.

Norman said Rafols, who also works in Hat Yai, is still getting details related to Dave's death.

"We don't know if he was the one who crashed on a vehicle, or if he was the one who was bumped. All we know that his back was badly broken. His jaw was also fractured," Norman added.

Fondly called "Taboy" by his family and friends, Dave worked as an English teacher in Hat Yai until his death. Prior to his stint in Thailand, he coached the De La Salle-Zobel football team for two years, following stints with the Philippine Under-23 and Senior Teams.

Norman said their family is seeking the help of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration in Manila to hasten the transport of Dave's body. Norman also expressed gratitude to their family friends, sports officials of La Salle-Zobel and West Negros College for assuring them of support.

Dave studied at Don Luis Puentevella Elementary School and Bacolod City National High School, which he helped to several Palarong Pambansa titles. He has a business degree from the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos.

Along with brothers Norman and Joshua and cousin Troy Fegidero, he saw action in the 2000 Tiger Cup. He also represented the country in the 2004 Olympic qualifiers.

"He (Dave) was an all-around player," Norman said.

After scoring two goals in the ASEAN Futsal Championships in Thailand last March, Dave was recalled to the team for the SEA Games. He also played in the AFC Futsal Championship Qualifiers in Taipei and was instrumental in the team's advance to the final tournament in Japan last May.

A teammate at UNO-R and one of Dave's closest friends, Carlo Torbela describes the late football standout as a "supportive friend".

"He always wants to help his friends when they have problems," said Torbela, who is currently coaching the UNO-R football team.

Torbela said he got a call from Dave last week, shortly before the NOPSSCEA collegiate football tournament started.

"He wished me and the team good luck," Torbela said.*CPT

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