Tirso Cruz III On Losing His Son TJ To Cancer

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ICANSERVE Foundation Inc., breast cancer survivors came together to share their stories of hope at the Silver Linings 2019 last September at the Philippine International Convention Center.

At the forum, celebrity ambassadors like Iza Calzado, Agot Isidro, Cherie Gil, Bituin Escalante, Mikee Cojuangco, James Deakin, David Celdran, Lea Salonga, Iya and Drew Arellano moderated the informative discussions on the disease from coping and spiritual healing to dealing with a loved one with breast cancer.

At the talk entitled “When A Loved One Has Cancer,” Tirso Cruz III shared his experience with losing his son to cancer last year. 

“As the years go by, feeling mo nagiging matibay ka until the next flow of memories strikes you. For years, we lived in the same house and suddenly when he’s taken away, you’re left with all the memories,” he turns emotional, sharing one of his favorite things about TJ. “My wife and I got so used to the fact that in the morning, before he goes to work, he goes to our room and no matter how late he comes home, no matter how tired he is, he passes by our room and says good night. It was a regular routine and then suddenly, wala na 'yun. Now, every morning, I’d greet my son. It’s like the other way around. I report to my son in the morning and I tell him what my day’s going to be like and what I’m going to do.”

Does the grief ever go away? It never does, says the actor, but it’s something he has learned to live with. “There are days we wake up and I expect to see him but of course, it’s never going to happen. The grief never really goes away,” he admits, adding it’s not, however, a constant state as he shares a quote he now lives by. “It changes. It’s not a place to stay in. It’s not a sign of weakness nor is it a lack of faith. Grief is a price of love.”

To know more about the organization, visit www.icanservefoundation.org or call +632 636 5578.

Photo from @tirsocruziii