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Second chances: Camille Prats on finding love again and having a blended family
As the saying goes, to truly love another person is to accept that the work of loving them is worth the pain of losing them. Camille Prats is no stranger to this.
In September 2011, Camille’s first husband Anthony Linsangan passed away after battling nasopharyngeal cancer. The “Mars Pa More” host never shied away from talking about the struggles she dealt with in the aftermath, especially since she had to raise their son, Nathan, as a single mother.
Six years later, however, Camille opened herself up to love again and married VJ Yambao. This week, the couple celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary.
In an interview in 2014, Camille said it wasn’t the easiest thing to open up herself to the possibility of marriage again. At one point, she even asked for a sign from her late husband Anthony to help her decide on accepting new love.
“I told him to give me something na white,” she said.
According to the host, she and VJ were classmates back in Grade 2. However, it was only 20 years later when their paths would cross again. They started catching up, but since VJ was in the United States, they communicated only through texts and social media.
It was midnight, said Camille, when they started talking on the phone after three weeks of texting.
“Tumawag siya, he called me. Nasa garden ako ... there was a white butterfly circling me the whole time. As in paikut-ikot lang siya sa akin. As in, papansin siya,” Camille said.
When VJ came to the Philippines, Camille said they had to work out what they were together.
“It is a process. Hindi siya biglaan. Hindi siya basta-basta na lang dinesisyunan. It was a process and it wasn’t an easy process,” she said.
When she and VJ finally got together, she asked for a sign yet again on who she should marry.
“So, every time I’ll go home, kinakausap ko siya [Anthony],” the host said. “Parang noong time na ’yun, ang hiningi ko yatang sign sa kanya, sana may makita akong sign na puti ... so, sabi ko, kung sino ang magbibigay sa akin ng puting bulaklak, ’yun ang mapapangasawa ko.”
It was Valentine’s Day and VJ didn’t give her any flowers at all.
“Tapos noong nasa bahay na kami, nagbihis ako ng pajama. Pagbaba ko, sabi niya, ‘o, pikit ka, may ibibigay ako sa ’yo,’” Camille narrated.
“Tapos, binuksan niya ang palad niya, nakalagay dun, santan na puti na binunot niya sa backyard namin,” she said.
“Kinilabutan talaga ’ko noon! Tapos, naisip ko, oo nga naman, puti nga naman siyang flower.”
Starting a new family together
Before she and VJ tied the knot, Camille said it was important for her to get the approval of her firstborn, Nathan.
“For the past four years, kami lang kasing dalawa. Siyempre, magkakaroon ng pagbabago kapag nandiyan na si VJ,” she said in an interview in 2016.
“Gusto ko rin kasi na isang tao lang ang papasok sa buhay namin at ’yun na ang taong makakasama namin forever. Mahirap kasi na iba-ibang lalaki ang makikilala ng anak ko. Gusto ko isa lang at yun na ’yon,” Camille added.
“Kaya kinausap ko nang maayos si Nathan kung gusto ba niya si VJ to be his next dad. Pag-isipan niya nang husto because whatever his decision is, ’yun na ang pagkakasunduan namin.”
Nathan had his answer just after one day.
“The next day nga, Nathan said na gusto na niya si VJ. He wants VJ to be a part of our lives. Sabi ko, ‘ang dali naman palang kausapin ng anak ko!’ Kaya natuwa naman ako kasi I wanted my son to say yes,” Camille said.
“Kasi naniniwala ako na there will only be one person to come back into your life. And I believe na si VJ ’yun.”
In the past, Camille said Nathan would call her partner “Tito VJ,” but after they tied the knot, her son started calling him “Daddy.”
“Sobra akong na-touch sa sinabing iyon ng anak ko. Alam kong hindi madaling palitan ang tunay niyang dad. Anthony will forever be in our lives. Hindi mabubura ang mga masasayang memories namin with him,” she said.
“But I have moved on and natuwa ako na my son has moved on as well. Anthony will and always be his dad forever. Walang mababago doon. May papasok lang sa buhay namin na magbubuo ulit ng pamilya namin."
VJ also has a son named Ice from his previous partner. According to Camille, Nathan and Ice “instantly clicked” when they first met and have since always looked out for one another.
“Yes we are a blended family,” Camille said in a post. “There is nothing VJ and I ever hoped for but for our two boys to get along. Ever since they met they instantly clicked, always looking for one another, playing and taking care of each other. They found a brother in each other.”
She added: “I know, in my heart, Anthony would love for us to have a complete family. Gusto na rin niya na may matatawag na daddy si Nathan.”
Now, Camille and VJ have welcomed in two more additions to the family: their children Nala and Nolan. – RC, GMA News
