The story of a woman who went out of her way to accompany her father’s visit to her late mother’s grave touched the hearts of many Filipinos on social media.
Events planner Mayette Dela Cruz Cinco shared on Facebook how her father, whom she introduced as Mang Cris, called her at work to tell her that he felt his late wife needed his presence.
When they arrived at the cemetery, her father panicked after seeing litter strewn around her mother’s tomb. He kept saying that this is the reason why he felt that his late wife needed her.
After cleaning the grave stone, she quoted her father saying: “Salamat, Marita ha? Mangyari, nawala ang lungkot ko. Pasensya ka na kung naabala kita ha? Nagalit ba ang kliyente mo? Sabihin mo sa kanya, maraming salamat. Pagdating ng araw hindi na kita iistorbohin, Marita. Andito na rin ako. Linisin mo kapag hindi ka abala. Laanan mo ng panahon.”
She then hugged her father and expressed to him that he was never a burden.
“Gave my father a hug and in my heart I whispered, “Kailanman ay hindi ka istorbo, Tay. Hindi abala. Hindi singit. Hindi extra. Ikaw po ay mahalaga. Isa ka sa pinakamahalaga,” she wrote.
Her story soon made rounds on the platform and gathered praises from many people.
Dela Cruz made another lengthy post on January 30 to thank the people who told her that her story captivated them and apologized to those who said it made them cry.
“Hindi ko po yun sadya pero higit kaming masaya ni Mang Cris kung sa ating pagluha, mas lumawak ang ating unawa, mas lumaki ang ating puso, mas tumibay ang ating relasyon,” she said.