Johnny wants to be with Jesus

He and his family were hoping for the best and yet they were prepared for the worst.

But after over two years of battle with lymphoma, Johnny Delgado died at 1:20 p.m. last Thursday, Nov. 19, at the family residence in Quezon City, four days after he vomitted blood that required emergency confinement at the ICU of St. Luke’s Medical Center. His wife, director Laurice Guillen, gave in to Johnny’s request to be brought home Monday night, knowing that the end was near.

He died on his friend Rudy Fernandez’s death bed which was lent to him by Rudy’s widow Lorna Tolentino.

“Papa wasn’t afraid to die,” said Ana (a soprano and not a ballet dancer as Funfare earlier reported). “He was looking forward to be with Jesus.”

The couple’s other daughter is actress Ina who did a home-made film titled Labing-Labing starring her father in his most private moment, shown at the Cinemalaya.

“The Cinemalaya Awards Night several weeks ago was his last public appearance,” said Ina. (Contrary to Funfare’s report, Johnny didn’t make it to the ABS-CBN Cinema One Awards Night held last Nov. 15.)

Born Juan Feleo on a leap year (Feb. 29, 1948), Johnny was one of the two children of director Ben Feleo and Victorina Marasigan. Now into his 80s, direk Ben has been at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapels on Broadway St., Quezon City, every night since the start of the wake Thursday night. Behind Johnny’s coffin is an image of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace lent to Laurice by the nuns at the Carmelite Church in Lipa City. It’s the same image found at the altar of the Carmelite Convent beside the church, with a bigger one inside the church.

A devotee of Mary of Mediatrix of All Grace, Johnny often visited the Carmelite Church even when he was already suffering from lymphoma which was misdiagnosed as prostate cancer in early 2007.

“We couldn’t find one dahil wala pa raw sa stores of religious images,” said Laurice. “But thanks to Danny Dolor’s help, the nuns very kindly lent one to us.”

Johnny and Laurice became Marian devotees many years ago when, after hearing Sunday Mass, they felt some kind of an “awakening.” Their deep devotion was written all over the 2000 movie Tanging Yaman which Laurice directed as Star Cinema’s entry to the 2000 Metro Filmfest, starring Gloria Romero as the Alzheimer’s-stricken matriarch of a troubled clan. The movie won several awards including Best Actress and Best Picture. Saturday afternoon during a Mass at Mt. Carmel Chapels, the moving Tanging Yaman theme song was played toward the end. I held back tears as I remembered my mom who died in 2002.

Like the cancer-battling teacher Morrie Schwartz in the Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie, Johnny had all the time to say goodbye to friends and relatives. He sorted what it was that needed to be sorted, taking a leave with no emotional load at all, traveling light and easy to the bosom of the Great Comforter.

“During his last days,” added Laurice, “our close friends held vigil for him.”

Johnny was in extreme pain during his last days. The good thing is that he was on intravenous “pain management” tube.

“When the pain came,” said Ana, “all we had to do was press a button and the medicine went straight to where the pain was coming from.”

Among Johnny’s last bilin was for Laurice not to let his wake delay the shooting of I Love You, Goodbye, her latest movie which is Star Cinema’s entry in next month’s Metro Filmfest.

“Alam n’ya how things go in showbiz,” said Laurice.

The Delgados are a closely-knit family.

“We were so private that our home was almost off-limits,” said Ana. “We always had meals together and watched movies together. It’s always kami-kami, always kaming lahat, just the four of us.”

Asked what it is about his dad that she would miss most, Ana broke into a sad smile.

“His laughter and his voice when he’s angry. Extremes s’ya, eh. I will miss that voice very, very much.”

(Note: Johnny Delgado’s remains will be interred at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City on Tuesday, Nov. 24.)

An appeal from Krista’s Lola Glo

Aren’t juicy stories about l’affaire Krista Ranillo-Manny Pacquiao coming out of your and my ears yet?

Here’s a few more follow-ups:

• Manny and Krista were supposed to fly back from Los Angeles last Wednesday, Nov. 18, on PAL flight PR 103. Manny was assigned to seat A1 and Krista on seat A3 in the Business Class.

• Manny’s wife Jinkee initially refused to be on the same flight with Manny so she was booked on the PAL PR 103 Thursday, Nov. 19, flight. But somebody advised Jinkee to fly back with Manny, otherwise her absence on arrival day Nov. 20 would further fan reports that there’s trouble in their marriage.

• At the last minute, Krista changed plans and took a Northwest flight and arrived Friday night, Nov. 20. Up to now, Krista is sulking, deeply affected by the negative write-ups and name-calling she’s getting as a result of her being linked to Manny.

Krista isn’t talking...yet.

Funfare asked Krista’s grandmother, Gloria Sevilla (mother of Krista’s father Mat Ranillo III), for comment. Here’s what Lola Glo has to say:

Thank you for keeping in touch. I’m sure you would like to hear from me about my granddaughter, Krista. Here’s my official statement — I am deeply saddened that some people are condemning my dear Krista. I am personally requesting na please sana alamin n’yo muna ang facts bago kayo maghusga. Unfortunately, I am not in the position to speak for Krista. Apo ko s’ya at mahal ko s’ya but she’s of age and she’s a smart lady. I’d like to give her the right to speak for herself. Please be patient. You will hear from her soon. You will hear from her father, my son Mat, soon, too. Matanda na ako. I want to enjoy my life. Nasa showbiz man ako at ang aking pamilya, we are also entitled to our privacy just like anyone else. For now, we are focusing on Trixie, Krista’s sister, and also my granddaughter’s major surgery in the States. We almost lost her before. We can’t afford to lose her. I’m asking for your prayers, too. Thank you and God bless.

The problem is that how can, as Lola Gloria suggested, we “check facts” if Krista and Mat don’t answer and/or return calls or text messages?

As soon as Mat is ready to open up, the first thing I will ask him is if it’s true that, when asked by somebody close to him about how he’s handling the situation, Mat reportedly said, “Wala akong magagawa. In-love sila sa isa’t-isa, eh!”

Incidentally, somebody came to Krista’s defense from the “unsolicited advice” Gina Alajar uploaded in her Facebook — “If I were Jinkee, I won’t give up Manny; Krista is not worth it.” Gina must still have a little axe to grind against Krista who was rumored to have caused Gina’s break-up with Michael de Mesa (their marriage has since been annulled) when Krista was only 16.

Said Krista’s defender (somebody who truly cares for Gina), “Krista was very clearly a minor at that time, so she was the victim. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit sumali-sali pa si Gina sa issue nina Manny, Jinkee at Krista. Dapat sana tumahimik na lang s’ya. Ayan tuloy, she’s getting what she’s asking for.”

Oops!

Dr. Hayden Kho is not taking up Culinary Arts as reported the other day in this section but MBA at Ateneo.

Hayden and his friends, Dr. Red Lacanilao and lawyer JP Ferrer, have just opened The Lounge, a cozy bar located at the second floor of Bellagio Square, Scout Fuentebella corner Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City.— Photo By Ver Paulino

(E-mail reactions at [email protected] or at [email protected])