Patrick Gillmann - OTTF President & ITTF Vice-President Oceania

On behalf of the Oceania Table Tennis Federation, I am extremely sad to pass my condolences to Jemmy's family, the PTTA, the PNOC and all the Palau Table Tennis Family. It was a shock for me to read this terrible news and my heart is close to his children.
All Oceania table tennis family is mourning because Jemmy was well known as the man who started and developed table tennis in Palau, the man who brought for the first time table tennis to the mini games in his country, the man who brought a team to the world championships and let the world know the existence of the small Palau nation, the man who came to visit me in Koumac, my town in New Caledonia, during a training camp, the man who will stay in my memory as the person who was at the origin of the recognising at international level of the Pacific Island table tennis nations.

I am sure that table tennis will continue to grow in Palau because that was the aim of Jemmy and all the Palau Table Tennis family will be proud to continue his work.

GLENN TEPPER - ITTF Director of Development Programmes)
Former OTTF Development Officer

Please pass on my deepest condolences to Kiru, Rimu, Korang, Jemmy's family, PTTA and PNOC who knew Jemmy so well.
I have many fond memories of Jemmy and would like to mention just a few:

a.. One of Jemmy's driving ambitions was to have a Palau team >participate at the World Championships. In Kuala Lumpor, Malaysia in 2000 Jemmy realised that ambition and he was rightly very proud of that achievement. The first match for Palau was on centre court, on television in front of a large crowd, playing the host, Malaysia.

b.. Another of Jemmy's passions was to take table tennis to every  corner and province of Palau. On one trip we did many long boat trips to achieve that in the surrounding islands and areas, which left only the big part of the main island, which would be done on my next trip. Next trip came and we took a 4x4 with a table strapped on the back on what was for me an adventure of a lifetime and something I will never forget. In that time, I must point out that the highway was not built and this region was very undeveloped.
To get to each village we had an arduous journey on very rough roads with torrential rain the norm. Many times we made it half way up a dirt road hill in the rain, only to slide back down to the bottom. After multiple attempts we would eventually make it. Then we would arrive in the "village", which was as far as I could see, a cleared area with a thatched roof hut with no walls and wooden floors and not much more. "Where will we stay?" I asked Jemmy. "Here of course", we are the honoured guests. "What shall we eat?" [as no shops or people around] "Don't worry, we are the honoured guests" was the answer again. Sure enough, at meal time people came out of the jungle with the most delicious fresh fish, tarot, fruits, rice and all we can wish for.

The people were among the friendliest I had encountered anywhere and need less to say the table tennis was very successful and no doubt why today Belau Games has so many participants. Something I will never forget.

c.. One of the most inspirational stories I had ever heard of fundraising, was Jemmy rowing around Palau to raise funds for Palau to participate internationally. This is something rare and special from a man that would do anything for table tennis.

 d.. I also fondly remember Jemmy at a High Performance Coach Education Course in Adelaide, Australia. He was cold and suffering from lack of beetle nut, and very quiet for most of the course. At the conclusion of the course however, he asked to make a speech. This speech was one of the most inspirational speeches I have heard and brought tears to the eyes of many present including myself. He made a great story relating table tennis in Palau to a garden, where the seed was planted on my first visit to Palau, and the seed had grown into a healthy plant and now was starting to flower and bloom while also spreading. I truly hope that all those who follow Jemmy, will honour his memory by continuing to nurture and grow the Palau table tennis "flowers".

FROM Steve Dainton - ITTF Beijing Office Manager
Former OTTF Development Officer

I just awoke to this extremely sad news.
Please also help me also to pass on my condenses to Jemmy and his family.

I will never forget the boat trips and the spear fishing together with Jemmy that are one of the finest memories I have of my time in the Pacific. Every time I came to Palau I always looked forward to my trips to the Rock Islands with Jemmy.

However, what stays most clear in my mind is the passion Jemmy had for his table tennis and his family. As well I clearly remember the table tennis event of the Mini Games being one of the most professional events for those games, this would not have been possible without Jemmy.

Jemmy is a very big loss for Table Tennis in Palau and the Oceania Region. We often used his story of personally rowing around the BIG island in efforts to raise money for table tennis. In fact this made news in several countries outside Palau and is the best example we have of what some passionate table tennis people do for the love of a sport.