Pia Magalona commemorates Francis M.’s 10th death anniversary

Published March 6, 2019 1:43pm

Francis M. passed away 10 years ago today — March 6, 2009 — and on Instagram, his wife Pia commemorated the occasion.

According to Pia, the Master Rapper was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia seven months earlier, on August 8, 2008.

“I remember distinctly that we were both lying in his hospital bed, watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics, when a doctor came by and asked to speak to me in the hallway,” Pia began.

She said she was even glad that “they had found out why he was having daily fever and was lightheaded” but after the doctor confirmed it was cancer, they decided to tell Francis M. together.

Pia narrates calling all her children, from eldest to youngest, to tell them the news one by one, saying it was “the most difficult” to break it to her three youngest children.

“I cried with them with each and every revelation, answering the same questions eight times over,” she recalled.

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?Today is Ash Wednesday. We also commemorate the 10th death anniversary of FrancisM. ?? On 08/08/08, Francis Magalona was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). I remember distinctly that we were both lying in his hospital bed, watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics, when a doctor came by and asked to speak to me in the hallway. She carefully broke the news, and my only reaction was ok... so what’s the method of treatment, and how long is he going to be confined? I even had a smile on my face, because I was just glad to know they had found out why he was having daily fever and was lightheaded. The doctor then said the dreaded words: it’s cancer. Oh... That was pretty bad news. Next thing, we both went into the room to tell him about it. After that, I called my children one at a time, from eldest to youngest. The most difficult was telling the three youngest who still lived at home at the time, whom I told face to face. They were only 14, almost-9 and almost-8. I cried with them with each and every revelation, answering the same questions eight times over. Francis lived a total of 7 months more after that, and it was a whirlwind of confinements and discharges and treatments and test, after test, after test. Faith is really all we ever had, and still have for those he left behind. Our family will forever be grateful to family, friends, co-artists, companies and the Filipino people who supported us both financially and in spirit throughout the journey we called his Happy Battle, and even afterward. ???????? Through his recordings, his legacy lives on. Now, more than ever, say a prayer and listen to FrancisM. Peace. ???????????

A post shared by Pia Magalona (@piamagalona) on
Mar 5, 2019 at 5:52pm PST

“Francis lived a total of seven months more after that, and it was a whirlwind of confinements and discharges and treatments and test, after test, after test.

“Faith is really all we ever had, and still have for those he left behind,” she said.
Pia thanked the family, friends, co-artists who helped support them through “the journey we called his Happy Battle.”

She ended her note by requesting a prayer for the Master Rapper, and to “listen to FrancisM.”

We commemorate with you, Pia. And we celebrate because truly, Francis M. lived.