Mike Enriquez's wife reveals veteran journalist's final moments: 'He's been through a lot'

Mike Enriquez's death saddened the nation, but the loss hit his wife differently.

In an episode of "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho," Lizabeth "Baby" Yumping-Enriquez said that Mike's passing "hasn't sunk in yet."

"Kasi marami pang tao pero I'm sure all of these... tapos ako na lang mag-isa sa bahay. I don't know, I really don't know," she said.

["There are many other people right now. But I'm sure that after all of these, I'll be all alone at home. I don't know, I really don't know."]

Baby said that the veteran broadcast journalist really fought for his life, and that the only thing that consoles her is that he is no longer in pain.

"He's been through a lot," she said. "They had to do dialysis and dito nila pinapadaan."

In December 2021, Mike underwent a kidney transplant.

"'Yung new kidney niya was doing well. No rejection at all. Kaya nga sabi ko sayang, you know," she said.

["After his transplant, he was doing well.]

However, Mike encountered pneumonia.

"Because nga 'yun palang kidney transplant, they give you anti-rejection medicine. And that anti-rejection medicine lowers your immune system. So, kaya nahirapan ang mga doctors to arrest the infection because of that," Baby said.

She revealed that Mike passed away while undergoing dialysis.

"His BP dropped and suddenly his heartbeat stopped," she said.

Baby was on her way to the hospital when Mike's caregiver texted her: "Ma'am, Sir Mike is being resuscitated already.'"

"Ha? Sabi ko why. Hindi ko in-expect 'yun kasi routine na magda-dialysis siya e pang ilang beses na niya 'yun," she said.

["It was so unexpected. He regularly undergoes dialysis, he has already done that several times."]

They already tried to revive Mike three times when she told the doctor, "'Doc, tama na, enough na.'"

["Doc, that's enough, I said 'enough na.'"]

"After that, nu'ng after ng third resuscitation, I was in the ICU e. Nandoon lang ako sa labas kasi I couldn't bear to see him with so many tubes connected to him. Sabi ko I'll go out na. And then I broke down na," Yumping said.

["After the third resuscitation, I was in the ICU. I was just outside because I couldn't bear to see him with so many tubes connected to him. I went out then that's when I broke down"]

She also recalled that she kept on telling Mike, "Fight! Fight! Kaya mo 'yan! Kaya mo 'yan! Do not give up!"

["Fight! Fight! You can do it! You can do it! Do not give up!"]

But after seeing Mike struggling, she whispered to Mike, "Sige, Mike. I'll be fine. I'll be fine. I know God will not forsake me. Kung pagod ka na, you rest na. And I love you."

["I'll be fine, Mike. I know God will not forsake me. You can finally rest. I love you."]

After several minutes, the doctor approached her and told her, "Babes, nag-flat line na."

["Babes, he had flatlined."]

Mike and Baby's love story

Mike graduated from De La Salle University in 1973 after taking the Liberal Arts in Commerce course.

He became a Disc Jockey at the Manila Broadcasting Company, where he became known as "Big Mike."

Previously, he shared that he and Baby met because of his job.

"Siya at ilang kaklase niya dumalaw doon sa istasyon na pinagtatrabahuhan ko," Mike said. "Ang dinalaw nila doon 'yung isang kapwa ko announcer. Tinutugtugan ko siya ng kanta, 'Morning Girl,' ayun naging magkaibigan kami."

["She and her classmates visited the station where I worked. I played her the song, Morning Girl, and then we became friends."]

They were in a relationship for five years before they got married.

Host Jessica Soho told Baby that Mike always mentioned her.

"Naku si Tita Babes, ganyan. Si Tita Babes... I'm sorry Tita kung mali ako pero I get the idea na alagang-alaga ka ni Booma," she said, referring to Mike.

["I'm sorry Tita if I'm wrong but I get the idea that Booma takes care of you so much."]

Baby agreed. "Oh yeah, that I can say yes. Spoiled nga ako sa kanya e."

["Yes, that's true. He really spoils me."]

"Kaya ngayon hirap na hirap ako kasi nung nandiyan pa siya, lahat siya ang nag-aasikaso," she added. "Maski na sa pagbayad ng bills, pag-prepare ng mga cards, ng house repair. Ngayon nabagsak na lahat sa akin."

["Now, I'm struggling because when he was here, he took care of everything, I didn't have to do anything. He'd pay the bills, the house repairs, everything."]

GMA Network's pillar

In 1995, Mike became part of GMA Network and went on to lead dzBB.

His colleagues remember Mike as a good friend and a dedicated journalist.

"Mike gave me the biggest break of my life," Joel Zobel said. "Alam ko madami naman puwedeng kunin ka-tandem pero ako 'yung kinuha. Sometimes he was a serious person. But sometimes, ano siya, kwela, comic."

["Mike gave me the biggest break of my life. He could choose any other person to be his partner, but he chose me. Sometimes he was a serious person. But sometimes, he was funny."]

Meanwhile, fellow "24 Oras" anchor Vicky Morales said that Mike is a "very big loss" for GMA.

"Dahil parang he embodied so many things e, that a journalist should be. He was always objective, he was always fierce," she said.

["He embodied so many things that a journalist should be. He was always objective, he was always fierce."]

For Marissa L. Flores, Mike is the "epitome of Mister News."

"Gustong-gusto niya ng balita. Ang natatandaan ko sa Newsroom nun, pag nagkakagulo at nagtatakbuhan 'yung mga tao because merong breaking news na kailangan ihabol, tuwang-tuwa siya. Nakatawa siya dun sa gitna kasi he was so excited about the prospect na merong balitang ibe-break. Ganun niya kamahal 'yung milieu ng breaking news," she said.

["He loves the news. I remember when people would run around the newsroom because there was a breaking story that needed to be covered, he would be very happy in the middle of it all. Because he was so excited about the prospect of breaking the news. That's how much he loves it."]

Mike became the original "Sumbungan ng Bayan" through "Imbestigador."

But Baby said that despite this, his "Imbestigador" persona was "very far" from the true Mike.

"Very ano siya, very jolly, very talkative. Lahat na. Masayahin siyang tao," she said.

["He's very jolly, very talkative. He is a very happy person."]

Mike's iconic 'excuse me po' line

Jessica shared that Mike loved snacking on peanuts in the studio, which they constantly fought over.

"Kasi ubo siya nang ubo. Then, I have to investigate, bakit kaya siya ubo nang ubo?" she told Baby. "Then ang sabi sa akin, 'Hindi. Kasi, Ma'am, kain siya nang kain ng mani.'"

["Because he kept on coughing, I have to investigate, why is he coughing so much? Then I was told, Ma'am, he kept on eating peanuts.'']

Jessica continued, "And then, later on, I'd discovered may mga nagpupuslit sa kanya ng mani. May supplier siya."

["And then, later on, I discovered that someone was giving him those peanuts."]

Among those who became Mike's peanut suppliers were Pia Guanio, Cesar Apolinario, and his makeup artist.

Mike even jokingly asked her, "Ilang beses ba ako puwedeng umubo? Ipapalagay ko yan sa kontrata ko!"

["How many times can I cough? I'll put that in my contract!"]

Mike a.k.a 'Booma'

Baby said that Mike got his nickname, Booma, "kasi 'yun din ang tawag sa kanya ng mga barkada niya noon. Pangalan ata 'yun ng elephant."

["His friends back then called him 'Booma'. I think it's a name of an elephant."]

His friends would tease him, "Boom! Boom!"

Mike and Baby considered their pet dogs their babies, including a brown poodle that Mike named Booma.

The other one, Mike named Mickey.

"'Yung Mickey was his nickname when he was small. 'Yun ang tawag sa kanya nung mga parents niya, grandparents," Baby said.

["Mickey was his nickname when he was young. That's what his parents and grandparents called him."]

Mike's generous heart

Baby shared that Mike was very generous.

"Even to his nephews and nieces, sister, siblings niya, ganun siya," she said.

Elgin Feliciano, a crew member, shared that Mike even offered him financial assistance after his appendix surgery.

"'Yun 'yung hindi ko makakalimutan sa kanya. Madali siya lapitan. Bukas-palad 'yung pagtulong niya kahit sino ang lumapit sa kanya."

["That's what I will never forget about him. He was so approachable. He was generous in helping other people."]

He also helped Joel Zobel when he lost his dad.

"Namatayan ako ng tatay. Sabi niya, 'OK lang. Huwag kang mahiyang umiyak. OK lang naman malungkot kasi 'pag huminto kang malungkot e parang nakalimutan mo na sila,'" Joel said.

["My father died. He said, 'It's OK, you can cry. It's OK to be sad because when you stop being sad, it's like you've forgotten those who passed away,"]

Mike's final message

Mike first took a break in 2021 because of his health. He returned the following year and did the election coverage before taking another medical leave.

Before his passing, Mike was really looking forward to coming back to work.

"The caregivers were telling me na he called up Atty. [Felipe] Gozon," Baby said, referring to GMA Network's chairman and CEO. "Then after how many days, there's a letter daw from Attorney Gozon to Mike."

Mike asked her to read the letter for him because he can no longer open his eyes because of the cataract.

"So, I read it. It was the response of Atty. Gozon, It said there na, 'Yes Mike, basta you're 100% sure of yourself that you're healthy and you can do it and your doctors are giving clearance that you can go back to work, you're welcome,'" she said.

Mike was fearless when it came to fighting for the abused, but Baby shared that "he's very afraid of injections, but he really wanted to live."

Mike's last message for Baby was "huwag daw ako iiyak."

["Don't cry."]

"'Yun lang, 'yun lang ang bilin niya. Huwag daw ako iiyak. Sabi ko, I'm sorry but I cannot promise you that. 'Yun lang ang bilin niya sa akin," she said.

["He told me not to cry when he's gone. But I told him that I couldn't promise him that."]

Mike passed away at the age of 71.

He was one of the anchors of GMA's flagship newscast "24 Oras" and hosted the long-running GMA Public Affairs program "Imbestigador."

—JCB, GMA Integrated News