Christian Philip Cabral of the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) was about to compete in the NCAA Track and Field competition when the biggest challenge came his way.
His mother, who had been bed-ridden prior, passed away in August 2017 due to a stage IV gastric cancer before having a chance to cheer her son on in his first NCAA appearance.
“In 2017, I was about to graduate from senior high school and I was really preparing hard for the NCAA so that they would be proud of me,” Cabral shared on ‘Rise Up Stronger: The Road to NCAA Season 96’ on Friday.
“But I had yet to play in the NCAA and my mother died already. She did not make it. She died in August and my game was in February.”
Cabral, now in his third year in college, said he is turning his grief into an inspiration to do well in his upcoming games.
“I know my mother is watching us,” Cabral, a five-time gold medalist for Lyceum, said.
“I will graduate soon and all my honors and achievements are for you, especially my diploma.”
Watch GMA Synergy’s ‘Rise Up Stronger: The Road to NCAA Season 96’ every weekday (2:45 p.m.), Saturdays (4:30 p.m.), and Sundays (5:05 p.m.) on GTV.
—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News
