Condolences to Eric Pagdanganan's family.

My mom and I went to grocery last Sunday and while we're at it, we also decided to visit Kuya Eric in the hospital and buy something for him. I would want to buy him fruits but my mother insists to buy a cracker instead since his digestive system is not receptive due to liver cancer. In the hospital, we headed to the 3rd floor. We saw some of his relatives outside and they invited us to go in. Upon entering the room, his wife, daughter and his youngest brother were standing beside his bed crying. I was dumbfounded as I know what is already happening. I saw kuya eric already had difficulty breathing. My mom began to cry also, me still confused, I can't even cry. The first thing I did is pray. I can’t accept it because weeks ago, he’s just there in front of our house to fetch me up when I’m in the morning shift. I also lend him my books. 5 mins of waiting, the nurse came in to get his blood pressure. The nurse was hesitant to give the result so she asked what was the reading before. His wife responded 50/40 so she nodded and said just the same. Kuya eric is still awake but as I see it, he can no longer recognize everyone around him until his father came inside. His father take a glance on him, could hardly believe also what he is seeing. He goes straight ahead to the restroom. I could hear him coughing, once, twice, very loud. And then when he came back to bed, he spoke to kuya eric in very clear voice:

"Eric, Anak, kilala mo pa ba si Tatay" (Eric, son, do you still recognize me your father?)
"Kung kilala mo pa ako, pisilin mo kamay ko" (If you can still recognize me, pressed my hands tight)
kuya eric pressed his hands...
"Kilala mo pa si tatay anak..." (ok son you still recognize me)
... in a tone like he is talking to a 7 year old son.

This time my tears began to fall. This is the scene I will not forget for the rest of my life. This is the scene that even the best actress or actor who won in OSCARS would not be able to portray the emotions. This is the first time I saw a bedridden man catching up from his breathe in order to live. Immediate families are crying and couldn’t choose whether they would prefer him to live more or let him rest for eternity. I’ve been there already but on a different situation when my father died. My father was not sick and not even in my slightest thought it would enter to me that he will die early. The wound cause by the lost of our love ones are really deep but for sure it will heal in time.