Angel Gabriel – Jose Gabriel Dela Rosa
Photo from gjaysworld.org
A reader sent me the link to GJay’s blog, which was started by his uncle Raffy dela Rosa. I thought at first Gjay (Jose Gabriel Dela Rosa) was injured and may have hope of recovery but…
It’s been a month since 7 year old Gjay passed away. The nature of his death was a freak vehicular accident in Pasadena, USA. Imagine this , a loving family arrives in the USA expecting to have fun during a summer vacation and a few hours after their arrival, this tragic accident happens to them…
Just after arrival to Los Angeles, California from Manila, Philippines on April 04 2008 for their first family trip in the USA for a supposed one month vacation. A sudden tragedy occurred with this loving family around 630Pm by Pasadena, California. While walking across Colorado boulevard and fair oaks road to grab dinner with our singson (Dennis and Jun) cousins on the first day of their arrival. A Nissan altima collided with a Toyota corolla hitting Jose Ricardo and Jose Gabriel from behind just before reaching the end of croswalk and pinned them to a lamppost. The immediate effect had the father down with a busted open/ wrecked right knee down and Poor Gjay who was unconscious bleeding from the nose and ears and losing a leg. The mom (Chichi) likewise suffered minor injuries and high blood from the incident. Gjay was in full arrest with heavy blood loss and same as the dad when the paramedics came in and took him to the hospital.
Gjay’s death really tormented me because the nature is similar to my son’s death even though the de la Rosa’s family is in much much worse situation. We, too were in a family vacation when tragedy struck us on a bright and clear sunny day. During the vacation, all one can think of is being together, enjoying the sights and sounds, laughing and prancing around. Not a death in a family. The accident is very shocking, just too shocking that I was numb for days.
All I can do is pray for them because the road to recovery can be very rough.
Even if I have lost a child, I still am at a loss of words. It’s just terrible. No words to describe. One thing for sure. Though death is the end of life; death is not the end of love. Those we love and miss remain in our hearts and minds and souls as long as we live. Memories stay with us forever.
Death takes away. That’s all there is to it. But Grief gives back. By experiencing it, I am not simply eroded by pain. Rather, I become more aware, more compassionate, and probably be of help to others. Grief is powerful alchemy. It plunges us into sorrow and forces us to face the finiteness of life, the mightiness of death, and the meaning of our existence on this earth. It does more than enable us to change; it demands it.
It is possible to be enlarged, to find new direction, and to allow the memory of our loved one to live on within us, not as a monument to misery but as a source of strength, love, and inspiration.
I know Angel Gabriel lives on in the hearts and memories of his family.
Aside from their grief, the family is saddled with medical bills. Click here if you want to help.
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Although I have never been into a similar situation, i can feel the pain that both your family have been through.
I just ardently pray that in His time, may the Dela Rosa family find the courage to accept the death of their little angel. May their hearts heal soon.
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@Cielo- they will heal but it takes time. It’s a difficult time for them right now so pain is what they mostly feel.
I first heard the news about GJay on Philmug before it was picked up by the local media. Apparently, one of his relative is a member of the site and is asking for prayers. This is very sad for the accident happened a few hours after they arrived the USA and they are there for vacation. But it is good to see how the people in US help the family. I heard the one of the restaurant owners near the accident site even launched a fund raising activity of some sort.
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@Jeric- I also heard of this accident but didn’t know where to pick it up. Someone just emailed me that the family still needs help. I believe financial help as well as moral support.
Their grief must be so devastating. I cannot even imagine their pain. It’s truly a mystery on how accidents like this happen. I only pray for them right now.
yes, i’ve read this blog before. so heartbreaking. but it’s comforting to know that people all over the world are reaching out to them thru prayers and financial support.
lady cess’s last blog post..Look at Me, Me, Me!
I like the lessons that you highlight in this story … death takes away but grief gives back. I should never forget that, even if I thought I had already learned much from my own infant son’s loss eons ago.
This is such a beautiful piece on loss.
annamanila’s last blog post..The Doctora-Not-Quite
My ex took my son and ran to Mexico with him. I couldn’t find him for four years. I often wondered if my child was dead or alive, what kind of life he could be living, etc.
I know what kind of anguish I went through during that period and I can’t imagine losing a child, especially in such a violent way.
This family is in my prayers.
-Lisa
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losing a child is always the fear of every parent. after losing mine, the trauma of losing another has always been at the back of my mind, filling my heart every now and then.
i know the family would never ever fully recover from this but with god’s grace, i hope acceptance and peace would soon come to them.
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@cynthia- i shudder in disbelief at the mystery of Gjay’s death
@lady cess- the support from strangers and friends must be lifting their spirits somehow.
@annamanila- I try to get lessons to make sense of such a big tragedy.
@lisa-such anguish
@Mhel- I pray for them too. It’s not easy I am sure.
I fee sorry to what happened to this family. I I pray God gives them His strength and power to pass the hard time.
Here’s another readworthy blog about love and loss: http://letters2mama.blogspot.com/
What a devastating thing to happen. Why, they may ask, we may ask, but we may never have the answers. Through prayers and good intentions, I hope this family would be able to heal though only time will tell.
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@viona- I can’t even describe the pain they feel.
@rachel- thanks for the link
@Julie- it’s a mystery. Most often we ask WHY WHY WHY
i was touched by the story kaya ako nakainterest sa blog…well this is my first time. I believe she was at the lap of Jesus now. I pray for the immediate recovery..
Maybe it’s just coincidence. I was just surfing for some stuff, Mom stuff when I ‘accidentally’ got to you blog. After reading about what happened to your angel, it made me realize a lot of things. This is really an eye-opener for me. An hour after I read your blog, i came back to my PC and then it hit me, today is your son’s 8th death anniversary. Maybe God is trying to tell me something. How precious and short life is. God bless.
This is a really sad story. Since I’ve heard about the tragic accident, I haven’t been able to get this little boy out of my head. I added Ate Chi, his mom, on Friendster and she sent me a message once. She and Kuya Raffy invited me to Gjay’s mass but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go because I had to work. Lets keep praying for him and his family.
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