Widow collapses, dies after queuing for 'Willing Willie'

MANILA, Philippines - A 72-year-old widow collapsed and later died in a hospital after standing in line for around 13 and a half hours in a futile bid to be part of the audience for the “Willing Willie” in Quezon City Thursday night.

Police Officer 3 Joselito Gagaza of the Quezon City Police District’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit identified the victim as Alejandra Santos of Barangay Saplad David, Macabebe, Pampanga.

Gagaza said Santos – accompanied by a relative, 62-year-old Narciso Agulto – had been standing in line under the sun among thousands of hopefuls trying to gain entry into the show from around 8 a.m. Thursday when she collapsed from apparent exhaustion at around 9:30 p.m. the same day.

Santos was pronounced dead on arrival at the Bernardino Hospital at 1:31 a.m. yesterday by attending physician Leila Gino-gino. The cause of death was reported as cardio-pulmonary arrest. There were no reported signs of external injuries, said Gagaza.

Agulto told police that upon learning of Santos’s collapse, the “Willing Willie” staff gave P15,000 as financial assistance.