“The Pulse will continue to beat,” vowed Safia Cooper, daughter of late business mogul and executive chairman of Pulse Investments Limited Kingsley Cooper who was on Monday eulogised as a gifted visionary who lived to scout for greatness in those least likely.

Leading the tributes during the thanksgiving service held at University Chapel at Mona in St Andrew on Monday morning, Safia, who confessed to still being shell-shocked over the passing of her father on June 18, said she was sustained by, among other things, his favourite go-to lines when challenges mounted.

“My mind still cannot process and my heart is devastated. I still have not wrapped my mind around the passing of dad. It’s almost as if he has gone on a long vacation and we are awaiting a return…[but] we have to push through, keep things tight,” she said, mimicking words her father had used countless times.

In reflecting on the man she called her “superhero” and “problemsolver who always has the answer, the right answer”, and who taught her to be “fearless and extraordinary” in anything she attempted, she pledged: “Your legacy will live on, Dad, my protector, my rock, my inspiration, my friend, my forever. My father, the Pulse will continue to beat,” to applause.

Cooper, who died at age 71 in a Florida hospital, started Pulse Investments Limited in Kingston in January 1980, along with jurist Hilary Phillips, and became known for his pioneering work to develop the Caribbean’s modelling industry, discovering and developing supermodels and other international stars.

On Monday, Cooper’s companion Romae Gordon, in reflecting on her partner of over three decades, said Cooper “implored everyone to live in purpose”.

“He made young women from the region show the world their beautiful blackness and who they were — full of confidence, talent, ability and, most importantly, self-love — and for this he was highly rewarded. Several of our models were recognised,” she said to applause.

Gordon, who is the mother of Cooper’s 11-year-old son, held her composure until she began reflecting on their work and love.

“An unconventional love story, ours spanned over three decades. Our love for travel intersected perfectly with our world of work. Love was here, there, and everywhere… our working lives were often big events, but the bigger event was the love that happened in charming, little ways. Every day we were together was calm, quiet, and no fanfare — this was our greatest love,” she said through tears.

Reflecting on what she termed his “tumultuous last days”, Gordon, through tears, said the indomitable Cooper encouraged his young son to “be fearless, the sky is the limit”, evoking from him the response, “The brave may fall but never yield.”

“You taught us to be tough, to be unstoppable, how to overcome negative publicity and to keep pushing. Your fight was strong. Even as you were leaving this life, your love was still flowing — you mouthed the words ‘I love you’, and when these words were not there you combined your hands in the heart symbol to express your love. Kingsley, I held your hand as you took your final breath on June 18. We are devastated, but Kingsley, my love, you were every man,” Gordon said agonisingly.

Her tearful reflection, which ushered in the strains of Stevie Wonder’s
Overjoyed — a favourite of Cooper’s — proved too much for several mourners, whose tears, long held at bay, flowed.

Government Senator Dr Saphire Longmore, who enveloped Gordon in a comforting hug moments after she left the lectern, was then observed exiting the chapel, tears streaming down her own face, saying, “This is hard”.

Cooper’s sisters Donnette and Carolyn, in paying tribute to the man they described as kind and patient, humorously described his childhood escapades and the many experiences which shaped the big brother who played the role of “guardian, protector, chauffeur, and life coach” after their mother passed when they were teenagers.

Jamaican model Nadine Willis, who was one of several plucked from obscurity and catapulted into stardom under the tutelage of Cooper, on Monday told the Jamaica Observer, “I started with Mr Cooper in 2003 and Mr Cooper was something different. A lot of peole like to say a lot of things about Mr Cooper, but Mr Cooper stood as my rock until the day he closed his eyes.”

“It’s heartbreaking. This is a trip I never thought I would take anytime soon; he is gone too soon,” she told the Observer.

Willis, who said she had unfinished business with Cooper who died before seeing their plans for her book and movie come to light, said, “It’s hard to know that Mr Cooper is not going to be there to finish it with me and also to see the vision”.

The Very Reverend Canon Major Sirrano Kitson, in delivering a trust-themed homily, emphasised that no human being can live without trusting God.

In urging individuals to “trust Jesus”, Kitson said: ”Sometimes we judge our relationship with God by human standards, and that is unfortunate.” In emphasising that life begins with a breath and ends on a breath, Kitson said there is no escaping the dependence of all life on God.

Politicians from both major parties, including Opposition Leader Mark Golding and Justice Minister Delroy Chuck, attended the thanksgiving service for Cooper, whose remains were placed in a burnished wooden urn, ensconced on a garland of flowers, alongside a life-sized photo of him.