Two beneficiaries named for AJ’s cornea
Just like the song "Hindi Kita Malilimutan" by Basil Valdez, AJ Perez's family will never ever forget the 18 years he shared with them; a happy life cut short by a tragic accident last Sunday, April 17.
This tragedy remains vivid to AJ's father, Gerardo "Gerry" Perez, who recounted the moments after the accident happened in an interview with "TV Patrol" on Monday, April 18.
"When that accident happened, AJ was sleeping and I was half asleep actually. So when I felt the impact...I just thought of AJ and first thing that came into my mind was AJ. I hoped he was okay. And then I turned around and I looked at him. His eyes were closed. I knew from that moment, AJ was gone. I knew that he's not there anymore, he's not with me," AJ's father said teary eyed.
Gerry also said he questioned why his life was spared and not AJ's.
"Bakit si AJ pa? Kinukwestiyon ko yung sarili ko 'Bakit hindi ako?'
When asked what he'll miss most about AJ, Gerry simply said, "Everything in him. Just the whole AJ. Si AJ. Ang pagkapalabiro minsan sa amin at sa kapatid niya. Ang smile niya."
Meanwhile in a separate interview also with "TV Patrol" on Wednesday, April 20, AJ's mother Marivic and brother Gelo shared how they were proud of the late young actor.
"I feel so good hearing all those good words for AJ. [AJ] makes us so proud [to be his] parents. He's almost a perfect son," said Marivic.
"He wanted talaga to follow the footsteps of Rico Yan. It makes me proud of my brother because he touched many lives and especially hearing their stories that he always has a smile in his face. It makes everybody happy talaga," Gelo added.
Rico, a vibrant and successful young actor, died in his sleep nine years ago while on vacation at the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan.
Van driver faces charges
After closely studying Sunday's accident which took AJ's life, ABS-CBN has decided to file charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property against Christopher Bautista, the driver of the ill-fated ABS-CBN van. Bautista is an employee of Southbend Express Services Inc. a company contracted by ABS-CBN for out-of-town engagements.
This is in addition to similar charges the network filed against the driver of the Partas passenger bus, identified as Julie Brillantes. Partas also has a separate reckless imprudence and property damage case against Bautista.
Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) issued a 30-day preventive suspension only on the Partas bus that collided with the ABS-CBN van.
The LTFRB had planned to issue the suspension on the entire 48-unit Partas bus fleet but decided to defer action until after the Holy Week because of possible disruptions to northbound trips during the season.
AJ'c cornea beneficiaries
After the cornea transplant to blind Marian devotee Fatima Soriano did not push through due to her ineligibility for the procedure, two other people were chosen to receive AJ's cornea. Instead of helping just one beneficiary, AJ's cornea will change the lives of 28-year-old Lawrence Villanueva and an unnamed 8 year old boy, an ABS-CBN report said.
Lawrence has been experiencing eye problems for three years now."God works in different ways talaga," a grateful Lawrence said in an ABS-CBN interview.
Ma. Dominga B. Padilla, Chairperson and President of the Santa Lucia International Eye Bank, a medical facility owned by the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines, expressed her admiration for the family of AJ.
"Humahanga ako sa mga tao na, imagine, nagdadalamhati ka, naghihinagpis ka, namatay ang anak mo, pero naisip mo pa na mag-donate," she said in a separate interview.
