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Elijah Canlas, Jerom Canlas, and family celebrate first holiday season without JM
Elijah Canlas, Jerom Canlas, and their family celebrated their first Christmas and New Year without their youngest, JM.
Jerom posted Instagram photos of their family celebration, and penned a moving letter about JM and their grief over losing him. The family wore green for good luck as 2024 is the year of the Green Wooden Dragon, but most especially because it is JM’s favorite color.
“Ang sakit sakit na wala ka," Jerom said. "The fireworks were beautiful as always, but I was bawling. Kasi wala ka na, at wala akong magawa.”
Jerom looked back on their New Year memories, when their dad would carry JM on his shoulders to have the best view of the fireworks. He added that JM would not look away from the fireworks even when other children cried.
“Alam mo ba na kaya nagpapaputok ang mga tao sa bagong taon ay para matakot at lumayo ang masasamang espiritu? I found comfort imagining bad spirits running away from the noise while you just sit there unbothered and enjoying the show,” Jerom said.
“Gaya nung bata ka. Hindi nga lang mula sa mga balikat ni Dad, pero sigurado akong you have the best view now from up there,” he added.
Jerom then said that everybody is longing for JM.
“Your presence is deeply missed, Em. It’s just not the same without you,” he said.
“But we’re all trying hard to be okay, be better, and continue living. We will always remember you and never get tired of telling and exchanging stories about you. Mananatili kang buhay,” the added. “Guide us this year, JM. Help us heal. Patnubayan mo si kuya. I’ll always try to be good and do my best for you. This will be our year, I know it."
Elijah commented on the post, saying, “I love you, kuya.”
JM passed away last year at 17 years old. A cause of death was not named, but the family said that he struggled with his mental health.
Elijah wrote a touching letter for his late brother in which he told him, “You are far too beautiful for this world, JM. We do not deserve you. This world does not deserve you.”
JM is best known for appearing in the top films “Kiko Boksingero” and “ANi.” He was also a voice actor and was part of the Tagalog dub of “Coco,” “Stranger Things,” “Home Alone,” “Extraction,” “Little Einsteins,” and many more.
The Philippines has several mental health hotline and services. These include: DOH-NCMH Hotline: 0917-899-8727 or 02-7989-8727; Natasha Goulbourn Foundation Hopeline: 0917-558-4673, 0918-873-4673 and 02-8804-4673; and In Touch Crisis Line: 0917-800-1123, 0922-893-8944 and 02-8893-7603.
—Nika Roque/JCB, GMA Integrated News
