It is with great sadness that we mourn the death of our dear friend, Wayland.
Wayland Combe-Wright
Nov. 29, 1947 – July 19, 2022.
From Wayland’s daughter; Kaerolik Combe Wright
A week ago today, I was at the hospital taking care of my dad asking myself what would be next for him after death, how would he want us to share this experience with him.
Christians have a funeral followed by nine days of praying ‘novenario’. But he was not a Christian, he embraced humans regardless of the religion.
Looking for ideas on our world wide web, I found ‘sasipgujae’, a buddhist ceremony held in memory of the deceased person seven times, once every seven days after death, for seven weeks – 49 days after death.
The article caught my attention since one of Wayland’s favorite number was 49. As I was reading it, he passed away silently. We took it as a sign.
My mom and I have decided to take on this ceremony or ritual in memory of my dad. We did the funeral on July 20th, and will continue for 7 weeks every Wednesday (July 27, August 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31, ending on September 7th).
All ceremonies will be held at the Octopus Garden in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle. We will post on the Facebook page the activities and the time of day they will be held.
Everyone is welcome to share this moment with us, here personally, or in thought or prayer wherever you are.
Feel free to share.
With love,
Kaerolik
Read further down in the article to understand the accident that affected Wayland and family during the last 8 years.
Tributes are pouring in; here are a few that indicate the love and respect Wayland had in our beautiful community of La Cruz.
Max from Casa Hule
“We join in the sad sorrow that Aruna and the Octopus’s Garden family feel for the sensitive death of one of its creators. Wayland, rest in peace my friend. We are left with the bitter taste of not having been able to learn more from you, because in the short time that I enjoyed your friendship and conversation, your words have touched my soul. Wayland and Aruna, a perfect connection of love and companionship. Together they landed four decades ago in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, in a ship made by themselves to establish the solid roots of a garden, fulfilling dreams and making many more sailors witness to it. What a privilege to have met you and to be able to be in a place with all your energy.
All those who loved you and the aroma of coffee, give you the warmest farewell.”
Jonnie Dale Lieberman
“Wayland will be dearly missed. How grateful are we for your entire Family’s presence. Building your boat, Sailing across the Pacific with a young child, creating community, communal space for all of us at Octopus Garden. You provided shelter for hundreds, for me numerous times, especially the night I slept in your coffee roasting room during an evacuation. As a couple you assured so many of us a home place, a place to write, a place to be, a sanctuary. Assisting Wayland over the years, he gave to us way more than any of us could ever give in return. We share with you in this somber time, releasing a Friend, so many wonderful memories, Wayland’s wit, way with words and wish to get to the heart of every nuance, never a stone left unturned. And now we turn to you, carrying your beloved with the finest of memories. Wayland and all he did, was always top notch, a mensch, a renaissance man, a lover of precision and accuracy, whose kindness and generosity has served and will continue to serve his Family, our Mishpacha and our Community for eons. The seeds Wayland planted have already grown beyond measure. Loving you so much, holding you from afar, Blessings always.”
Tim Seay
“I wish I could be there to honor his life with friends and neighbors. Wayland was always a “Pillar” of life in the Village, he helped me through some heavy times with grace. His Positive Energy, Strength, Kindness and Ingenuity shaped our special time as a “La Cruz Family”. Please send my Love and Warm Wishes to Aruna and Kaerolik.
Good Bye Dear Friend and Neighbor…. Timo”
Hans Peterman
“We’re built to cruise for but a while upon this trackless sea, until one day we sail away into infinity.”
“Thanks for all your wonderful creativity you shared. You had a special gift that will be missed, but remembered forever.
Sail the heavens well, Wayland
Wayland and Aruna, Hikuri, Octopuses Garden, Jardin del Pulpo… so many names, same fine people!
Sometimes you meet people whose energy is so inviting you just want to spend more time with them, support them and share what they offer with others. That’s Wayland and Aruna! My hubby met them first and dragged me to meet them… many years later, we’re forever friends.
It has been my intention to write a blog about them and their endeavors but they’ve done so much with their lives I waited, it would be big! I regret that I didn’t share this when the restaurant was vital and happening! Over the next few weeks I’ll learn what I can and tell you their story, with their blessings of course. For today, I’ll fill you in on what I know, share some pics and share Chris’ work on assisting them to get much needed funds to carry on.
What I know:
- They are deeply in love, as they share stories, they embrace each others words with love.
- They adore and cherish their daughter, Kaerolik. Aruna proudly boasts about “Daddy’s girl”. Their eyes alight when Kaerolik walks into the room.
- They embarked from England on a boat they made from paper. Yup, a paper boat… no wonder Grandma was concerned about itty bitty baby, Kaerolik. This shall be the first update!
- When they arrived in La Cruz, Wayland would take his ‘built by his own hands’ looms up into the mountains and trade with the Huichol’s for supplies they would bring back and sell.
- They adore and support other ‘free spirits and/or travelers’ along their journey.
- They are both Architects.
- Aruna dabbles in graphic art
- Wayland does some construction/design build work; he helped us with the renovation of our Boutique Inn.
- They adore horses.
- They bought the land and built it bit by bit to become the ‘compound’ it is today, For Sale; closed for the foreseeable future, complete with;
Wayland and Aruna
Kaerolik surprises her Dad
Aruna was a founding member of Amigos de La Cruz, here she coordinated a town clean-up.
Gentle Wayland, when Chris and I were building doors for the Inn, we used Wayland’s shop. I saw this Iguana which I thought to be dead. Wayland saved it and released it.
Carpenter/Architect/Construction Wayland
The cool stairs he designed and built;
Very groovy!
The functional and oh so pleasing rooftop, over the dance floor
Putting the roof in place, every beam hand built by Wayland.
The sprung wood dance floor.
Our Boutique Inn project, after a hard days work.
Our Boutique Inn again, measure twice…
Why Wayland and Aruna created what they did, to support the arts.
Wayland thanking folks for their participation… we thanked them, an amazing evening!
Latcho and Andrea’s first La Cruz concert was at Jardin del Pulpo;
Tatawari, our local boys band also got their start here.
I’m pretty sure I’m correct to say the first poetry reading in La Cruz.
The first play in La Cruz
They gave people opportunities to do this (and so much more), so bummed I missed out!
For fundraisers, weddings… parties of any sort, this place not only delivers, it sparkles.
Horses are a passion of Wayland and Aruna’s; Wayland does most of the training.
Wayland, we’re cheering you on to become your old self again!
I will be adding to this story! If you have stories to share about the place or the people, please do so in the comment area below.
From Aruna;
Hello friends of Octopus´s Garden!
For those of you who haven´t heard, Wayland had a serious accident at the beginning of May falling from a 4 meter roof he was repairing and fracturing a vertebra in his neck. After an emergency operation in Guadalajara and his return to la Cruz he fell dangerously ill with pneumonia. Now at home in la Cruz, in an office converted to hospital room, he is gradually recovering, but it is an uphill path with all his natural defenses at a low ebb, and causing unexpected life-saving expenditures. Our friend Chris is helping us find our way through this financial crisis, please read on . . .
From Chris, my sweet and caring hubby, using his creative and entrepreneurial ways is working to help them through this tough time. (July 1st, 2014):
I talked to Wayland and Aruna last night. It was nice to hear Wayland’s vocal chords at work again, even if it is a struggle for him. He’s a fighter, that’s for sure. Stubborn you might say. And with the road he has in front of him, that stubborn-ness will be called into play again, I’m sure.
Those of you who know Aruna and Wayland are fully aware of what their Octopus’ Garden means to our wonderful La Cruz. We all have a story of our first impression of the Garden / el Jardin, and I bet many of these stories would start out with words like: welcoming oasis, loving community, accepting refuge, etc.
Wayland and Aruna have welcomed many strays over the years. In my case it was during a burnout-averting sabbatical 5 years ago. Some of us strays have given to Wayland and Aruna, some have taken. Most, I think, have done a little of both. But what really strikes me about them is that they don’t seem to mind which category one falls into. They just welcome you, knowing that Karma is on the job 24/7, and that it’s not their job to judge.
The Octopus’ Garden is Wayland and Aruna (or have I got that backwards?) It’s where (mostly) expats and snowbirds have gathered over the years to:
- teach Spanish to Gringos and English to Mexicans,
- enjoy local music over a meal or a beverage
- raise funds for local charities, or fellow expats in need
- Watch some movie you’d never see at the Multiplex theater
- learn to appreciate the real Mexico- “outside the compounds” of the all-inclusive resorts
- borrow a tool or solicit some advice about fixing something on a boat
- and on and on…..
I can’t imagine La Cruz without the Octopus Garden. (note: this applies to lots of other cool places and people in town- there is something very special about La Cruz- but more about those at another time)
For those of you just tuning in: At this point, the Ballad of Wayland and Aruna is still being written. We’re at the mid-point of the crisis that befell (I wish there was a less awkward word here) them in May of this year. Our stubborn (there’s that word again) Wayland was working in a less-than-safe manner and tumbled from a great height, breaking his neck.
I pause for a moment to implore myself and all the rest of us men (primarily) to please take something out of this cautionary tale. Let’s all take a good look at our birth certificates, subtract our birth year from 2014, and realize that the number is not 21, nor will it ever again be. Please be safe- one never knows when a fifty- or sixty-something knee, ankle, arm (or whatever) will let us down. Literally.
Back to our story. Wayland, under the constant love and care of Aruna and a handful of locals taking shifts, has made some progress. The Wayland Ward, as I like to call it, has been the site of some minor miracles. He is eating solid foods, talking, and moving his arms (and his left leg at least once- I saw it!). Pretty amazing, given what he’s been through.
But he has recently had another setback that requires that he return to hospital. He has another infection, this time related to bedsores. And the thingy in his arm, through which certain medicines go into him, needs a tuneup of some sort as well. And there was something else, what was it?
Oh, yeah: Wayland and Aruna are broke.
Not broke-broke but , shall we say, very “cash-flow challenged” They have plenty of un-encumbered real estate and other assets to retire simply on, but selling them, even at fire-sale prices, is not going to happen fast enough to pay the bills. (I feel there is another cautionary tale for us here, but……later)
And now to the crux. Wayland and Aruna have decided to take a mortgage against the Garden in order to fund the next year or two of their life together, while Wayland continues his recovery and rehabilition. It will take about a week to draw up the papers, and ojala (Mexican for God-willing, more or less) somebody or somebodies will step up to make a secured (via the mortgage on the Octopus’ Garden) loan. They’ve asked me to help get the word out.
But as I mentioned above, Wayland’s medical needs are URGENT. He needs an operation as early as tomorrow, (yup, tomorrow) and Aruna tells me they need about $60,000 pesos -“STAT!”, as they say on those TV medical shows. I’m very conservative about these estimates, so I’m gonna say “call it $100,000” pesos. This is a bridge financing, to be taken out (repaid) immediately from the proceeds of the above-mentioned mortgage. They are not asking for charity- they remain blown away by the support they’ve received to date, both financial and spiritual.
So there you have it. If you can help with the short-term loan (it’ll be on a handshake, like in the old days) or the longer-term mortgage-backed financing, please contact me. For our part, Cindy and I can loan a small-ish portion of the $100K pesos short-term emergency fund.
We trust that there are enough others out there to help get Wayland and Aruna to the next chapter. If you are that somebody, or one of those somebodies, please let me know. You can contact me at chris@remaxplayalacruz.com.
And whether you can help financially or not, Wayland and Aruna sincerely thank you again; for your past assistance and for your continued good vibrations, prayers, and loving support.
God, I love this town.
PS please forward this to anyone who you think might be able to help.
From Chris (July 2nd, 2014):
Hola!
Thank you all for:
A) your positive vibes and your help in passing the word along
B) in the case of those who have been able, for your offer to help financially
Group A above seems to be “working some pretty good mojo” as Wayland’s situation has stabilized (dare I say improved, slightly?) over the last couple of days. His surgery is currently scheduled for Monday, pending results tomorrow of some required pre-surgery tests. Let’s keep holding the vision of continued good news.
I don’t feel qualified to report intelligently about the nuances of Wayland’s medical situation, but I believe that Kaerolik will be posting an update on Caring Bridge, so watch for that soon. What I understand is that the bedsore issue may be abating somewhat, but that Wayland will still need surgery, albeit (hopefully) a less invasive, less critical procedure than earlier feared.
Group B above has responded overwhelmingly, and I am in communication with them about the logistics and details of getting funds here.
For the near term, Kaerolik and I will focus on receiving the funds here for Wayland and Aruna.
We’ll continue to keep you posted as frequently as possible. For now we’re back to seeing that Wayland and Aruna continue to “trend positively”, in no small part due to the love and care they are receiving from all quarters.
Thanks again, and have a “fantastic and getting better!” day.
Chris
Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Arthur Ashe ~ American professional tennis player
