Hello everyone, I want to update you on how my mom passed away on April 21. At 9 pm, the doctors try to revive her for 3 hours, but she is ready to go. My world changed forever. My beautiful, brave, selfless mother took her final breath and left this world. She fought so hard, but in the end, heaven called her home. My heart is shattered into a million pieces, and the pain of losing her is more than I can put into words, but I want to try. Because she deserves to be remembered. After everything life threw her way, the passing of my father, her own health struggles, she kept going. She never let us see her weakness. All we saw was her love. Unshakable, unconditional love.
Just this month, on April 4, she turned 55. We never imagined it would be her last birthday. A few weeks ago, she was smiling, laughing, and talking to us from the Philippines, and now she’s gone. The infection that took her came quickly and cruelly, and though she was surrounded by care and prayers, her body was tired. She gave us everything she had. In the ICU, she fought like a warrior. Every day, we hoped for a miracle. Every breath she took gave us hope. And even when she couldn’t speak, we spoke to her. We told her how much she meant to us. We told her how proud we were of her. How loved she is. I hope she heard us. I believe, somehow, she did.
She leaves behind not just children who love her, but a lifetime of beautiful memories. I’ll always remember how she cooked our favorite meals even when she was tired. She stayed up late when we were sick. She always put us first, even when she had so little. She gave her all without asking for anything in return. That’s who she was. She taught us to be kind. To be strong. To never give up. And now, even though my heart is breaking, I’m holding onto those lessons. I know she would want us to keep going. To take care of each other. To live in a way that honors her memory. Losing her while also caring for my 4-year-old son, who is preparing for another operation, I feel like exhausted. Some days I feel like I couldn’t take it. But I also know she’s watching over us now. She’s free from pain. Free from suffering. She’s at peace.
I want to thank every single person who prayed with us, who donated, who messaged, and who shared our story. You gave us strength when we had none. Your kindness will never be forgotten. You all helped us to fight for her, and though we didn’t get the miracle we expected, we got the miracle of love, so much love from people near and far. My mom may be gone from this world, but she will never be gone from our hearts. Her legacy lives on in us in how we love, how we give, and how we carry forward her memory. I miss her every second. I’m thankful for every moment I got to be her child. Please continue to keep our family in your prayers as we navigate this deep, unimaginable loss. Hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight. And if you knew my mom, or even if you just knew her story, remember her. For the light she was. For the love she gave. For the incredible woman she’ll always be.
Rest in peace, Mama. We love you forever.