How Tita Cory helped me find myself

There is never a day when Kris and I would not talk about anything and nothing. Of late, I would ask her how her mom was doing. July 31, she asked me if I could bring extra clothes after I told her that I was planning to drop by the hospital after SNN, the nightly show we do together. “I might just need you.” After SNN, I waited for a text message from her.

I was famished so I ran to a restaurant near ABS-CBN to grab a bite. I figured, there was nothing urgent as I didn’t get a text message yet from Kris. I left the restaurant at around 1 a.m. and decided to go to Makati Medical Center. I don’t know what it was but I just wanted to be in the area of Makati Med so that if Kris called I could quickly respond. After “casing” the Makati area, I decided to go to the hospital. I went through the back door that I passed through when I went to visit Tita Cory a week earlier but it was closed. So I went through the main entrance of the Makati Med and then I proceeded to the ninth floor. It was relatively quiet and there were about three uniformed Makati Med guards outside Room 920 and they graciously offered me a seat. I told them not to wake up anybody because I sensed that everything was alright and everyone in the room was resting. I sat outside the room and quietly prayed for Tita Cory’s well being. After a while I asked one of the guards to call Mel Mamaril, one of the longtime personal guards of Tita Cory who was in the other room because I wanted to leave a message for Kris that as previously discussed, I did drop by. I was told that Noynoy just left the hospital.

During this time a nurse entered the room of Tita Cory to check on her. And when she came out I was told that her blood pressure was stable. Jasmine, a member of Kris’ staff came out and I told her to tell Kris that I came by. I left the hospital and proceeded to the fruit stand in E. Rodriguez Ave. near Christ the King where I would normally buy fruits for Nanay. 2:41 a.m. I got a text from Kris that said “please come back.” I flew back to the hospital and just as I went out of the elevator on the ninth floor a few meters away from Room 920, I got a call from Kris who calmly told me that “mom is gone.” I proceeded to Room 920. I silently wept in front of my beloved president, my beloved Tita Cory, the beloved mother of my best friend Kris Aquino. I completely lost it. I felt numb. I could not think. I was overcome by grief and pain. Dr. Alex Ayco and the nurses were attending to Tita Cory. Dr. Alex is just amazing. Amidst the grief that filled Room 920, he was in control. No one was wailing. I saw one of the longtime guards of Tita crying. The children and grandchildren were in deep pain. They cried so quietly it broke my heart. I have never seen a family so dignified and so proper. And slowly they took away from the walls of Tita Cory’s room, the letters, poems the grandchildren wrote for their lola. I was in a daze. By this time, members of the media who camped outside the hospital for weeks were getting a sense that something was happening in Room 920. Noynoy arrived. Kris was silent and composed and never left her mother’s side.

Immediately after the doctors have performed the post mortem procedure, automatically the family gathered around Tita Cory to pray the rosary. In the other room we were writing the press statement; Dr. Alex, me and Rapa Lopa. More relatives, close friends and Fr. Arevalo arrived and officiated a Mass. Kris stayed beside her mother. After the Mass, everybody started to do what should be done, pack things up, and the family members were ushered to the back elevator of the hospital and Tita Cory was wheeled out of the room and also through the back elevator. Kris was still beside her mother. An ambulance was waiting at the basement that would bring Tita Cory to the Heritage Memorial Park.

Kris and Tita Maur Lichauco rode in the ambulance with Tita Cory. Noy, Rapa and myself went to the lobby of the Makati Med to meet the press. Noy read the official statement and politely excused himself as he needed to go to Heritage Park.

Here is the official statement: “Our mother peacefully passed away at 3:18 a.m., Aug. 1, 2009 of cardio respiratory arrest. She would have wanted us to thank each and every one of you for all the prayers and your continued love and support. It was her wish for all of us to pray for one another and for our country. Hinihiling po ng aming pamilya ang konting panahon para makasama namin ang aming mahal na ina. Later today, we will be announcing further details of her wake para sa lahat ng ating mga minamahal na kababayan na nais magbigay respeto sa aming ina.”

Then it was my turn to face the press to explain whatever details I could share. I said that she passed away while the children were praying the rosary. I managed to mumble a couple of other things. There were many questions I could not answer, questions I could not hear. I was almost catatonic, I had to ask my friends Deo Edrinal and Biboy Arboleda what I said during the press briefing. It was very difficult. And then I rushed to the Heritage Park to join Kris and her family. I saw cameras at the gate of the memorial park, so it was safe to assume that word had spread that the body of Tita Cory was brought to the Heritage Park. Close relatives and friends started to arrive. Kris was inside the morgue with Tita Maur. I was at the waiting area beside the morgue. The procedure inside the morgue took more than five hours. Kris did not leave Tita Cory. I joined her inside the morgue. Paul Cabral arrived. He was asked by Tita Cory to make her dress in the event that her time has come. Early in January this year when Doña Mary Ejercito passed away, Tita Cory told Paul that she wanted a dress similar to what Paul made for the former President Estrada’s beloved mother. Juan Sarte, Jonathan Velasco, Louel Buenaventura took good care of Tita Cory’s hair and makeup. Until the coffin was brought to Chapel 1 of Heritage Park, Kris was still beside her mother.

Inside the morgue Kris reminded me that I had fear of wakes and funerals, that I could not go to the wakes even of my close friends, relatives and associates in the industry because when my father died when I was 16, I developed this fear. Tita Cory changed all that, and I’m grateful. In death, Tita Cory helped me find myself.

Paalam, Tita Cory.