Die Hard!
Written By James Chona
“I wouldn’t be here if you didn’t fire me.” These words, spoken to me some 13 years ago during a memorable lunch, have stayed with me ever since. A former colleague, dismissed for running a side business, had turned that setback into a stepping stone, thriving in the very business that cost him his job. To my surprise, he expressed gratitude for being fired, saying it gave him the freedom to pursue his passion fully. Tragically, just a week later, he died in a road accident.
During that lunch, which he bought for me at a very expensive upmarket restaurant, he also invited me to play golf. At the time, I didn’t play and had to decline, but his invitation left a mark. Inspired by him, I eventually took up the sport, and today, I’m an active member of the very golf group he belonged to. Just this past weekend, our group played a memorial golf tournament in honor of our departed members. His influence continues to shape my life in ways I could never have predicted.
He was truly a character. There was one time when he got very sick, and we honestly thought we’d lost him. We had completely given up hope—only for him to show up at the office a few days later, as if nothing had happened. We affectionately nicknamed him “Die Hard” because of his resilience. That was him: unstoppable, always bouncing back no matter what life threw at him.
His journey reminds me of Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” He faced many setbacks, but ultimately, those hardships led him to greatness.
Though his life was cut short, “Die Hard” left a legacy—a legacy of resilience, inspiration, and forgiveness. His act of forgiveness toward me, when he had every right to hold a grudge, taught me the immense power of letting go and how it opens the door to healing, transformation, and peace. His memory continues to shape the way I live, reminding me that through forgiveness, we can grow, and through grace, we can inspire.
