Nat’l football player Bea Luna, 16, was excited for college, shares dad

Before she suffered an aneurysm last weekend, the father of Celestina Beatrice “Bea” Luna said his daughter only complained of a headache. She had no injury or pain on any part of her body that the family was aware of.

Bea, a member of the national football team, died on Tuesday, May 26. She was 16.

According to her father Ninoy, Bea succumbed to a ruptured arteriovenous malformation in her brain.

“Noong tanghali, gumising pa siya. Nagre-respond siya pag tinatawag siya, nagno-nod siya, nagagalaw niya legs niya. Pinipilit pa niya umupo tyaka tanggalin ’yung life support na nakadikit sa kanya,” Ninoy told GMA News Online.

However, on Monday, Bea become unresponsive and went into a coma. She was eventually declared brain dead, with only her heart keeping her body alive.

Although still in shock, that was when the family began to accept the possibility that Bea could be truly gone.

“Kinausap namin si Bea. Sinabi namin kung gusto na rin ba niya ... kung gusto mo talaga umalis para hindi ka na mahirapan. Basta masaya ka,” Ninoy said.

Just 15 minutes after they left the ICU, the doctors called them back and said Bea had a cardiac arrest.

Ninoy said doctors tried to revive her for 30 minutes but she had already flatlined. She was declared dead at 3:55 p.m.

Left so early

He said Bea had left so early and so suddenly.

“Sabi nila wala talaga siyang symptom. ’Yung aneurysm na ’yun hindi talaga siya made-detect kung may magbu-build up. Talagang bigla nalang siya aatake,” he said.

Before she passed away, Ninoy could still remember what they last talked about: how excited she was for college.

“Lately bago siya nagpaalam, pinag-uusapan naming dalawa ’yung preparation niya for college, ’yung senior high school niya, ’yung preparation niya physically and mentally. Doon kami lalo naging close. Doon sa preparation for the future,” her father said.

As the eldest in the family, Bea was full of love and sunshine. Ninoy said she gave her all not only to her family, but also to her sports.

Living in Baguio, Bea would travel down to Metro Manila so she could train in football.

“Si Bea kasi ever since athletic siya,” said Ninoy. “Kapag ginusto niya mag-improve, willing siya mag-sacrifice ng time, ng effort para mag-excel siya doon sa sports niya.”

Ninoy said he couldn’t thank enough the national football community for all the support and sympathy they have shown to his family when Bea passed away.

“Gusto ko pasalamatan silang lahat. Ipinakita nila kung anong klaseng bata si Bea tsaka anong klaseng player siya na naging inspiration siya,” he said.

Bea was part of the national team that landed fourth place in the 2019 Asean Football Federation U15 Girls’ Championship in Thailand.

During her last and only appearance for the country, Luna scored in the 12-0 win over Timor Leste.

Although her heart was in football, Bea also wanted to become a teacher. – RC, GMA News