Prayers for Julian Carlo Miguel (Amiel) Alcantara, Grade 4 Student who died from a Car Accident in the Ateneo Campus

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Edit (February 27): Links on news updated below

View Photos of Amiel Alcantara’s Balloon Release
Pepe Alcantara’s Eulogy


Candles and flowers on the spot where Amiel Alcantara’a head got pinned by the van’s tire


Julian Carlo Miguel (Amiel) Alcantara, a 10 year old student of the Ateneo de Manila University got fatally hit by a van yesterday afternoon (February 24). News report from the Inquirer said that

A 10-year-old student of the Ateneo elementary school was killed while his nanny was injured when a van hit them on the university’s parking lot in Katipunan, Quezon City, on Tuesday afternoon.

Superintendent Rudie Valoria, head of the Quezon City Police District Traffic Enforcement Unit said a Toyota van (CRW-705) driven by one Ma. Theresa Torres, 37, interior designer and resident of Charbel Executive Village in Mindanao Avenue was involved in the accident.

Valoria said Torres surrendered to the police and has been in custody since then, and would be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and physical injury.

He identified the fatality as Julian Carlo Miguel Alcantara, 10, and the nanny as Tata Suarez, 65.

The boy, Valoria said, was declared dead on arrival at the New Era Hospital an hour after the accident took place. He died of head injuries.

Suarez was injured in the ankles and shins and was treated at the school infirmary.

The boy’s brother, sister and an unidentified friend who were with the victim at the time of the accident were unharmed.

Here is a 3d simulation of how the accident happened

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

My heart just went out to both the Alcantaras and the Torres Family. I am offering my deepest condolences to the Alcantara family. There are just no words to comfort you. I know both families are in their darkest hour. I can only offer my prayers. I don’t know them personally but our families share a common experience, the untimely and sudden death of our sons. A sudden, accidental, unexpected or traumatic death shatters the world as we know it. It is often a loss that does not make sense.

The sudden tragic event shatters our sense of order and thrusts us into a world forever changed. Survivors of sudden loss may experience a greater sense of vulnerability and heightened anxiety. The safe world we once knew, no longer exists. We fear for ourselves, our family and friends. I can also imagine the classmates of Amiel and the witnesses to the accident. Survivors can become overwhelmingly preoccupied with thoughts that such a random act of violence might happen again.

And even if I have experienced a loss of my son through an accident, I cannot fathom the pain they must be experiencing now.

I gathered from Amiel’s teacher that the parents appealed for prayers:

Humihingi kami ng mga dasal niyo para sa kaluluwa ni Amiel Alcantara. Siya ay nasa ikaapat na baitang at mag-aaral ng Mababang Paaralan ng Ateneo de manila. Kanina lamang, siya’y naipit ng dalawang kotse sa may dismissal/waiting area, oras ng kanilang uwian. Kinailangan pa siyang hugutin mula sa ibaba ng kotse upang maialis siya sa pagkaipit. Maraming dugo ang nakita sa pinangyarihan ng insidente. Naisugod pa siya sa ospital ngunit hindi rin nagtagal at siya’y pumanaw. Nawa’y ipagdasal niyo ang kanyang kaluluwa at ang kanyang pamilya. Pakipasa ang mensaheng ito sa iba. Maraming salamat po.

Let’s all pray for both families.

At the Wake of Amiel Alcantara at the Ateneo Grade School Chapel

At around 9:00 PM tonight, I dropped by the wake to give brochures of The Compassionate Friends to Pepe and Melanie Alcantara. I usually visit bereaved parents as part of my mission of the Compassionate Friends just so they know a grief support exists. First reactions of shock, numbness, denial and disbelief help to cushion these newly bereaved against the full impact of their loss. It is when this protection against the cruel reality of the death begins to wear off that they will begin to feel the full extent of our grief. That’s why I told them to look at it a few weeks or months after. Most of the newly bereaved contact us a month or two after.

I was privy to the police report and though I want to maintain the couple’s privacy, let me just tell you that the TV reports as shown by TV Patrol is not an accurate version. The acceleration of the van sounded like the sound of a racing car. It was that loud!

Classmates of Amiel Alcantara dressed in white polo paid their respects together with their parents. Some of them gave letters to the mom which seemed to comfort Melanie.

The Alcantara’s actually almost lost THREE children, and not just one if not for the timely action of their 65-year old Yaya Tata. Spotting Yaya Tata on the wheelchair, I noticed her two feet were bound by elastic bandage. I sat beside her and condoled with her. She had been Amiel’s yaya since birth and she must be grieving too. She didn’t speak much and stared most of the time at Amiel’s coffin. Yaya Tata told me that she is due for operation today.

It tore my heart as Jana, the 7 year old sister kept scuttling back and forth to Amiel’s coffin.

Good thing Cathy, a co-founder of The Compassionate Friends also dropped by together with her husband. She gave Amiel’s sister, Heaven’s Butterfly, a children’s book on grief.

Cathy has more updates:

Amiel, his 65-year old Yaya Tata (who has been with the family for 40 plus years), his 7 year old sister, and 13 year old brother Javi, together with the driver, were already so close to their car when the CRV driven by Teresa Torres, careened from behind and hit Amiel. Yaya Tata was able to push the youngest one and the elder boy out of the way but was too far to get to Amiel. Yaya Tata had herself suffered injuries and fractures and is set to have surgery next week. The most heart-wrenching thing about the whole thing is that it was the Alcantara’s driver and 13 year old Javi who had to extricate Amiel from beneath the van. The impact was so strong that three other vehicles were damaged in the process before the vehicle finally came to a stop. How does a 13 year old young boy cope with the image of seeing his younger brother that way?

It was the driver who took Amiel to the New Era hospital and they were en route to the hospital in another Ateneo parent’s car when Amiel died in his arms. Amiel’s father, Pepe Alcantara, former chair of the UP Student Council in the 1980s, and his mother, Niann, were no longer able to see their youngest son alive. It is a tragedy of such great proportions.

(It was actually a Toyota Hi-Ace van which Theresa Torres drove and hit the CRV)

News Video

QTV: Amiel’s family finds it hard to move on

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

QTV: Ateneo community mourns Amiel Alcantara’s death

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

Amiel Alcantara UPDATE (with statement from Alcantara family) From GMA News

Family Amiel, Ateneo accident victim, releases statement. Family Amiel, Ateneo accident victim, releases statement, February 26

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

Woman in Ateneo car accident charged with homicide, February 26

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

Witnesses recall Ateneo car accident, February 25

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

Ateneo pupil run over by car inside campus, February 25


Video from TV Patrol, February 25

This entry will be UPDATED regularly. See below

News and Related Blog Entries

Family of Ateneo accident victim mulls hold departure order vs suspect, GMA News, March 3

Outpouring of grief at cremation of Amiel Alcantara, GMA News , March 1

Ateneo pupil’s dad: I could not bear seeing the face of my son’s killer, GMA news, February 27

Suspect in Ateneo road accident may spend weekend in jail, GMA News, February 27

Ateneo stude’s dad meets suspect , Inquirer, February 27

STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF ATENEO DE MANILA GRADE SCHOOL STUDENT AMIEL ALCANTARA, February 26

Update on Losing Amiel Alcantara by Cathy, February 26

Ateneo student killed on campus by Inquirer. net, February 26

Pupil dies after being run over by van by Inquirer.net, February 25

Van Kills 10 year old boy inside Ateneo Campus by gmanews.tv, February 25

Grade 4 Ateneo student dies in car accident: report by ABS-CBN, February 25

Losing Amiel Alcantara – Ateneo Grade School Parking Lot Accident, February 25

how a cellphone contributed to the death of Amiel Alcantara, February 25

Amiel Alcantara, grade 4 student dies in a freak vehicular accident at the Ateneo : one view on what happened

The Wake

From Amiel’s teacher, wawam:

February 25, 2009
TO : THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
Norberto Maria Luza Bautista, SJ
Headmaster

RE : DEMISE OF MASTER JULIAN CARLO MIGUEL (AMIEL) ALCANTARA
FR : NORBERTO MARIA LUZA BAUTISTA, SJ

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Master Julian Carlo Miguel (Amiel) C. Alcantara of 4-Manobo. Amiel died of head injuries due to a vehicular accident yesterday afternoon outside the AGS holding area.

His body lies in state at the Chapel of the Holy Guardian Angels, Ateneo de Manila Grade School.
Wake masses will be held at 7:30 PM from Wednesday, February 25, 2009 to Friday, February 27, 2009.

The remains of Amiel will be cremated at the Arlington Crematorium, Araneta Avenue, Quezon City at 2:00 PM on Saturday, February 28, 2009. There will be a mass at 11:00 AM at the AGS Chapel before the body is brought to Arlington for cremation.



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  • Regi

    I hope that there will be changes in the Ateneo’s traffic rules after this tragic accident, but as it seems, nothing has been done thus far. Perhaps, if Ateneo will change its rules now, the school might be criticized for it would appear that something was indeed wrong with its previous traffic rules and conduct of safety measures.

    I also wish that Ateneo will have a proper formal investigation and will not delegate the matter to teachers or coordinators who may not have the qualification or expertise to conduct investigation. I had a bad experience on this with my own child who is also studying in Ateneo. I did not, however, pursue my case because I know that it will give me more heartaches and sleepless nights, coupled with the fact that I am far away from home.

    I have always desired for quality education for my children. My husband and I worked hard to pay for our children’s education. We earned our money the hard way, a product of our own sweat and tears. Of course, we expect a lot from the school, particularly, to be our real partners in protecting our children while they are in the school’s premises. I do not have doubts that this sentiment is shared by all parents.

  • gay

    I’m a mother of a grade 2 boy in ateneo and this june, my 6 year old son will join his brother in the same school. Our whole family, just like the rest of the Ateneo Community, is so affected by the tragic death of Amiel. I guess we all have become extra careful not just when bringing our children to and from school but in anywhere we go. WITH THE POPULATION OF THE ATENEO GRADE SCHOOL, it is impossible to just make do with what we already have if we are to consider the safety of the children. We need major major changes- more traffic enforcers, visible traffic signs, strict implementation of the rules, maybe a rerouting of traffic flow, we need drivers who have high regard to the rules being set by the school, and i think it’s also about time that the school reassesses the number of students they accept each year for each section. All these for the sake of the AGS children and the future that they hold being products of Ateneo.

  • Pingback: My heart goes out to Amiel Alcantara «

  • Bart Sena

    This is one of the best comments I’ve read so far. It’s a good thing that somebody realizes that what happened cannot be blamed on the school but to irresponsible drivers and motorists.

    This should be a wake up call to all drivers to be extra cautious when driving inside a school vicinity.

  • kat

    Theresa Torres is not the one experiencing pain on this family’s side. She also has a Grade 4 son. It is him who is experiencing tremendous amount of pain. Maybe because of embarrassment and guilt not because of him but because of what his mothe did. He has not been going to school the last few days. And it is him whom we should include in our prayers.

  • http://aboutmyrecovery.com Noemi

    I am aware of Theresa’s son not going to school. I hope Ateneo will help him in any way they can. Maybe it is best the boy moves to another school.

  • Sam

    Oh dear. How sad! I think the boy should not transfer. After all, his surname is different from his mother’s surname (she uses her maiden name). Teachers must just make sure that he is not taunted or bullied.

  • http://aboutmyrecovery.com Noemi

    The school and the family should consider all options. It’s usually the age (Grade 4) where bullying is quite common. I am not sure the teachers will be with the boy all the time.

  • rachael jones

    This was really sad! I am based here in the US and my nephew is in first year high school in Ateneo. Last January when i came home to visit,we went to his school fare and i couldn’t imagine how this tragic accident happened in this prestigious school. I immidiately called my sister and my nephew and spoke to his driver that take him to school everyday. My nephew’s driver hangout the whole day in school and waited for him till he gets off in the afternoon. We are over protective of my nephew and i’m sure the Alcantara family is too, but everything happen for a reason. No words cannot express good enough how Amiel’s family feel at this point of time, I know for sure that he is in better place, in God’s arms, a little angel. I am offering my prayers to Alcantara family and friends. May he rest in peace.

  • eric

    I am not mistaken it was a relatively hot that day, and the mom probably preferred to stay cozy inside her airconditioned van and asked her driver to go through the trouble of looking for and picking up her son instead. Just a guess.

  • joy

    Would you know if until now the boy hasn’t gone back to school yet? It is already their exams. I hope he will still be able to take his exams so he can finish his grade level. But I think it would be better for him to transfer to another school next school year. Everyday that he goes to school he will just be reminded of the accident his mother caused. I hope Ateneo goes out of their way to provide him counselling too. I couldn’t imagine the pain he is going through right now — afraid to go to school, of possibly being bullied, of his mother going to prison. It breaks my heart to think that because of a parent’s irresponsible act a life was lost and her own children are suffering too.

  • kat

    Theresa’s son was not amiel’s classmate but only on the same grade level

  • meg

    Hey, it takes two to tango. Ateneo had the the ball on its court eversince. Surely you are an atenean fanatic. How would you feel if it happened to you? Would you still stand by ateneo?

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