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The day when The Ikedas' son Shirohisa passed away, Mrs Ikeda's younger brother, Shuji Shiraki, and his wife, Miyoko, describe the day they expressed their condolences to Mrs Ikeda. The day was October 3 1984. In Miyoko Shiraki's words:
We went to Tokyo Station from the hospital where Shirohisa had been to meet Mrs. Ikeda, who had returned on short notice from Osaka. We were sad and heartbroken, but when we saw Mrs Ikeda, it was she who did her best to encourage and comfort us. We spoke briefly at the station. Though I cannot imagine the depth of her grief, she was, as usual, restrained in expression.
She stepped off the train gracefully and surprised us by saying, "Oh, you poor things." I remember being puzzled until I realized that she was referring to our being cold. It had been very hot that day. Shiroshisa had even remarked on the heat at the hospital. We were wearing short sleeves, but the evening had cooled dramatically. Even at a time like that, Mrs Ikeda was concerned about our welfare.
After Shirohisa passed away, Daisaku and Kaneko expressed their firm resolve to look after and take good care of Shirohisa's two children. It is obvious that they always think about their grandchildren and are determined to live a long time so they can look out for them. Kaneko and Shirohisa's widow are as close as a mother and daughter related by blood. Kaneko had often said she would have liked to have had a daughter.
After Mrs Kaneko got married, her changed is she got less sleep She as continued in the same direction without wavering.
One youth division member who was at the meeting in Osaka that day tearfully reported the following anecdote to a friend in Tokyo about the grieving father:
On that day, Mr Ikeda sent his wife back to Tokyo early, and he stayed untile the very end of the meeting. Right up until the moment he ad to leave, he was encouragingand inspiring the youth division members to develop themselves. The next morning at the airport, as he was leaving for Tokyo, he told the handful of people who were there to see him off, "I'm entrusting the future of Kansai to all of you."
After the plane too off, the memebersat the airport cired a deluge of tears, moved by Mr Ikeda's heartfelt effort and concern toward them, though they knew he was grieving the sudden loss of his son.
The two grandchildren graduated from teir father's alma matter, Soka University. Follow their father's footsteps, devoting themselves as their father did to the path of education.
We went to Tokyo Station from the hospital where Shirohisa had been to meet Mrs. Ikeda, who had returned on short notice from Osaka. We were sad and heartbroken, but when we saw Mrs Ikeda, it was she who did her best to encourage and comfort us. We spoke briefly at the station. Though I cannot imagine the depth of her grief, she was, as usual, restrained in expression.
She stepped off the train gracefully and surprised us by saying, "Oh, you poor things." I remember being puzzled until I realized that she was referring to our being cold. It had been very hot that day. Shiroshisa had even remarked on the heat at the hospital. We were wearing short sleeves, but the evening had cooled dramatically. Even at a time like that, Mrs Ikeda was concerned about our welfare.
After Shirohisa passed away, Daisaku and Kaneko expressed their firm resolve to look after and take good care of Shirohisa's two children. It is obvious that they always think about their grandchildren and are determined to live a long time so they can look out for them. Kaneko and Shirohisa's widow are as close as a mother and daughter related by blood. Kaneko had often said she would have liked to have had a daughter.
After Mrs Kaneko got married, her changed is she got less sleep She as continued in the same direction without wavering.
One youth division member who was at the meeting in Osaka that day tearfully reported the following anecdote to a friend in Tokyo about the grieving father:
On that day, Mr Ikeda sent his wife back to Tokyo early, and he stayed untile the very end of the meeting. Right up until the moment he ad to leave, he was encouragingand inspiring the youth division members to develop themselves. The next morning at the airport, as he was leaving for Tokyo, he told the handful of people who were there to see him off, "I'm entrusting the future of Kansai to all of you."
After the plane too off, the memebersat the airport cired a deluge of tears, moved by Mr Ikeda's heartfelt effort and concern toward them, though they knew he was grieving the sudden loss of his son.
The two grandchildren graduated from teir father's alma matter, Soka University. Follow their father's footsteps, devoting themselves as their father did to the path of education.
Last edited by Maorin on Wed Nov 17, 2010 9:24 pm; edited 1 time in total