Saipan · August 24, 2003
Sidney’s first day of school
A childhood memory shared by his father, Ramon Cairo.
Remembering Sidney
Letters & memories
Sidney’s words, photographs, and the little things his family treasures—from childhood moments to a letter from a son to his father.
Childhood memories · 2003
Helping Mommy in the kitchen
Sidney helping his mommy, Clarisa, in the kitchen—a family memory shared by his father, Ramon Cairo.
Original family photographs, preserved without alteration. Select a photograph to view it full size.
Saipan · November 8, 2003
Small hands, helping the community
At four years old, Sidney joined a community cleanup with Brilliant Star Montessori, helping clean one of the play structures at Pau Pau Beach in Saipan. His family remembers this day as an early example of his participation in caring for the community.
His father, Ramon Cairo, recalls that Sidney was featured in a front-page photograph in a local Saipan newspaper covering the activity. The original newspaper feature has not yet been located.
Photograph and family recollection shared by Ramon Cairo. Original photograph preserved without alteration.
Saipan · August–December 2003
A love of books, from the beginning
Visits to Joeten-Kiyu Library were a regular part of Sidney’s childhood in Saipan. He listened to stories read by a librarian, joined in art activities, and spent time exploring books. His parents introduced him to the library at an early age, nurturing a love of reading that he carried into adulthood.
A family memory shared by Ramon Cairo. Dates are shown on the original photographs, which are preserved without alteration. Select a photograph to view it full size.
Winnipeg · July 10, 2004
A new beginning in Canada
On July 10, 2004, five-year-old Sidney arrived in Winnipeg with his family as they immigrated to Canada from Saipan. This photograph captures the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.
Download the original photograph
Sidney’s own work · Europe, 2010
Europe through Sidney’s eyes
A family journey through Paris, England, Switzerland and Austria, told through Sidney’s photographs, observations and humour.
To the greatest father any son could have
A letter from Sidney to his daddy, shared by Ramon Cairo. Date not recorded here.
Read Sidney’s letter
Transcribed from the supplied scan for readability. The original above remains the reference for exact typography and punctuation.
Daddy.... I’m sorry in advance for making you read all of this, but I probably can’t say all of what I’m going to write now in person. I want to start off by saying that you are the greatest father I could ever have. You’re smart, ever so resourceful and always willing to do anything, whatever it takes. You have this sense of humour that I didn’t get at first but now it amuses me and makes me happy even at the roughest times. You’re so caring and I know that you love me so much that you’d do anything for me. You’ve taken me around the world, taught and introduced me to new things and ideas. Even after a rough day at work, you come home with a warm and welcoming hug. Not all fathers do that. What I respect about you though is your courage and your understanding of life. You know what it feels like to be poor; you know what hard work is. You had the courage and the determination to fight your way out of it. You even help your own family by sending money to them every once in a while. It shows that you truly care about people, and that you’re not greedy. That’s what I respect about you. You’ve created almost this legacy of yourself, this story of starting from the bottom and getting to where you are today because you were driven by your determination. This legacy..... I can’t live up to. You see, I truly hate it when I let you down. It hurts me more than it hurts you. But even at times of when I have no hope left, you are always there to pick me up and push me forward. I want to thank you for that. Thanks for helping me, thanks for doing everything for me, thanks for believing in me... I owe you big time. Just remember, I will always be there for you too. Even if I’m not the greatest son out there, I will always love and take care of the greatest father I could ever have.
“I Love You Daddy
Love Your Son: Sidney Moen Cairo