Inilahad ni Michelle Dee na alay niya ang nakuhang korona sa Miss Universe Philippines 2023 para sa kaniyang inang si Melanie Marquez sa pagdiriwang ng Mother’s Day.
Sa Fast Talk with Boy Abunda nitong Martes, tinanong ni Tito Boy si Michelle, kung ano ang napag-usapan nila ni Melanie noong umakyat ito ng stage matapos koronahan ang beauty queen nitong Sabado sa Mall of Asia Arena.
“When I won, honestly, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. Was I supposed to wait for sponsors to come up? Was I supposed to wait for… Anyway I just saw my mom, she was wearing red there, so kitang kita ko siya,” kuwento ni Michelle.
“If you see photos of me pointing, I was pointing at her and telling her to come on stage,” pagpapatuloy niya.
Sa puntong ito, pinilit ng kapatid ni Michelle at ng kaniyang mga kaibigan, kasama si Rhian Ramos, na umakyat ng stage si Melanie.
“I was like, ‘Mom, we did it!’ and she was like ‘You did it! I’m so proud of you.’ And then I finally said ‘Happy Mother’s Day!’ I really wanted to be the best Mother’s Day [gift] that she received.”
Bago nito, hindi sigurado si Michelle kung makakasama ang kaniyang ina para manood ng coronation night.
“Especially because I didn’t even know if she could make it to the coronation night, and we all know she is my lucky charm. She wasn’t there last year, so maybe that’s why,” sabi niya.
Matatandaang nauna nang inilahad ni Michelle na naaksidente ang kaniyang ina at nagpapagaling, pero mabuti na raw ang kalagayan nito.
“She was recovering from an accident. So it was only about last month that I realized that, ‘Okay, maybe she can watch,’” sabi ni Michelle.
Nang malamang matutuloy ang kaniyang ina, naisip nina Michelle at ng kaniyang team na magbigay ng tribute para sa kaniya, na itinanghal na Miss International 1979.
“So I was with my Passarella coach, we were like, my mom was gonna watch and we were trying to conceptualize what we’re gonna do on stage. And then they were like ‘You know what, let’s do a Melanie Marquez.’”
Kakatawanin ni Michelle ang Pilipinas sa Miss Universe pageant na gaganapin sa El Salvador ngayong taon. --FRJ, GMA Integrated News
