April 5, at around 10:00 p.m., I have driven my car into a bunch of road barriers in the middle of an intersection between two highways, going from Candelaria, Quezon to San Juan, Batangas highway crossing Manila to Bicol highway.
Have almost died. My car has ignited upon impact, burned completely. Has totally been wrecked.
A senior in white shirt has tried to help me out, me barely conscious. Seconds later, two others have come to help. Then another. They all have saved me.
The town rescue team with the police officers have come and have brought me to two hospitals whose personnel have denied accepting my case for lack of anyone to vouch for my expenses.
Finally, with the police team leader pissed off and threatening to file a case in court, the third hospital emergency personnel has taken me in.
Not until about 1:00 a.m. have I regained consciousness with an orderly talking to me, asking me who I can get in touch with.
Except for the orderly, apparently no one has taken interest in my case. I have been left alone on a stretcher as the rescue and police teams have left me earlier.
I have told the orderly that I am the president of Batangas Eastern Colleges (BEC) and a board member of Tayabas Western Academy. Has turned out, his wife had graduated from BEC herself.
A recently contracted executive of the school has come to help me — the orderly having gotten in touch with her.
I have incurred a highly fractured nose, a depressed orbital, a lacerated nose septum, two broken ribs, a splintered ankle.
My facial injuries have required an operation under general anesthesia.
Over two weeks later, with help from all over coming, financial and otherwise, here I am working again. First day of work has begun this morning.
I have to thank so many for my new lease on life. The senior in white shirt and his companions, the municipal rescue team, especially the police team leader, the orderly, our newly-hired executive, my first cousin physician who made sure I get the appropriate attention at the hospital, and the very young and energetic team of doctors who worked on me. I have to thank our school administrators and my personal assistant for making sure I get assistance I need within that first critical day. I have to thank my school board of director cousins, my fraternity, Kappa Epsilon, my former Candelaria mayor cousin, and my siblings for the the timely financial assistance I have received from them. I also have to thank the UP Mountaineers colleagues of mine who have stayed by my side those first critical days in the hospital. Thank you, too, to a long-time family friend who has lent me his walker, extremely useful, cannot work without it.
The teacher that I am with humble means, I feel I am such an extremely wealthy individual seeing all these heroes around me.
Thank you everyone for my new lease on life. I am paying forward, of course, and I hope you do not mind.
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