A social media user made netizens emotional after she shared photos of her late father from Google Street View.
“Frozen in time, he remains unaware that the world has moved on without him. While we wish we could step back into that moment just to see him again,” the uploader, Lyka Villanueva, told Interaksyon.
Villanueva said that she missed her father after watching the South Korean television series “When Life Gives You Tangerines.”
“Kapag nami-miss po namin siya, tumitingin po talaga kami sa Google Maps. Dahil kaunti lang po ‘yung picture niya sa amin. Wala po kaming family picture kaya parang ‘yan na lang din po ‘yung remembrance niya samin,” Villanueva said.
Lyka shared that her father, Ricky Villanueva, passed away in October 2019 at the age of 51 due to cancer. He was a jeepney sign painter who worked from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Del Monte, Quezon City.
“I can really say na hindi kami po talaga showy ang papa ko, pero makikita mo po sa kanya na mahal niya po talaga kami. ‘Yung mga ginagawa nyang sacrifices para samin. Everyday nakabilad sa arawan, hindi po niya iniinda ‘yun basta may mauwi samin,” she added.
Lyka’s post got other Pinoys on social media reminiscing about their deceased loved ones through Google.
“Somewhere on Google Maps, my dad is alive too,” a Facebook user said.
“Yes, nangyari din samin yan, kaso lang nagu-update yang Google maps, eventually tatanggalin na rin nila, nakaka-sad lang,” another said.
“Yung alaga naming aso, ganyan din 2018 buhay pa,” a Facebook user said.
Others recognized Lyka’s father.
“Napakabait pa nyan ni kuya Ricky Azagra Villanueva alam ko kong san man siya ngayon nandiyan pa din siya sa tabi ng kanyang mahal sa buhay, patuloy na gumagabay sa family niya and patuloy na [bini-bless] ni Lord yung mga mahal niya sa buhay. Big Salute to all the signmakers and lettering Artists. God bless us!” a Facebook user said.
The comments section was also filled with heartfelt comments, as well as heart and crying emojis, with many saying they resonate with Lyka.
“I can relate. Masakit sa heart,” a Facebook user said.
Google said it collects Street View imagery by driving, pedaling, sailing and walking around and capturing imagery with special cameras that simultaneously collect images in multiple directions.
“The images are later overlapped and stitched together into a single 360-degree image,” Google said.
— With Rosette Adel
