honestly, i hardly get inspired by two types of people here in our country: politicians and actors. there are too few politicians (am not even sure if there is even one left) in our country who serve as genuinely as what they have taken oath to. a young public servant may look promising at the onset but once he dips into the murky waters of politics, even the meekest of the lambs turns into a vicious wolf wanting and thirsting for more. greed is blinding. it even makes one forget his very first priority which is serving the people. and all sorts of lies, deception and hypocrisy follow. &(#^*$@^ ang laki na ng tax ko ngayon tapos kukurakutin niyo lang! (alis na nga ako sa paragraph na toh naha-high blood na naman ako eh..)
problem with actors (male and female alike) on the other hand is that they are paid to portray a role which does not necessarily reflect their true being. an actor may play Robin Hood on films but in real life does not even have the slightest compassion on others. or someone who is kontrabida but is the exact opposite off camera. my point is that, they're paid to do what they do and it's easy for them to put on that disguise once the director shouts "action!", and difficult for us to look beyond that portrayal. that mask. that disguise. more so look for heroes amongst them. ika nga, heroes in show business are generally found in fantasy productions on big and small screens.
there are however, once in a while, real heroes who come out of the latter. actors who inspire me beyond their portrayal. whose courage on life's battles is moving you can't just help but admire and take your hat off to.
Rudy Fernandez, i truly believe, is one of them..
Saturday morning at around 2AM, i was having lunch (that term is correct for night-shifters, mind you) with friends Teejay and Irish and we inadvertently talked about Rudy Fernandez' condition, as we have heard from our local news and showbiz programs. we even shared how we have admired his wife Lorna on handling the difficult situation. the conversation went on to us having to share our personal difficult times when my nanay died and Irish' father passed away. the agony, pain, and loneliness after losing someone you dearly love.. back at the office at around 7AM, Irish hurried into my desk and informed me, "sir Art, patay na daw si Rudy Fernandez. nag text si Cherry.. eh di ba pinag uusapan lang natin kanina.." upon checking the Daily Inquirer online and PEP, it was confirmed.. in the afternoon, i was watching Startalk cover the first day of Rudy's burial. the amount of people, friends and loved ones alike, who flocked the chapel testifies how he, as a person, became friends to everybody. it was even mentioned by one of this sons that according to Rudy himself, he'd like everybody from all walks of life who'd want to view him for the last time come to his burial. wala dapat piliin o pigilan.. nakaka-inspire din yung kanyang tunay na kabiyak, si Lorna Tolentino, who showed us her own courage in the face of the unknown. bilib din ako sa'yo ma'am.
more than how Rudy faired courageously with his battle with the big-C, i think he really is a good person and that's what inspires me most. hearing his family and friends' accounts, i was moved. how he always acted as the peacemaker in their barkada. how he fairly treats everyone around him. how meek and bait he was sa family according to his eldest sister. and more importantly how he raised up his family, his sons. dyan magre-reflect kung ano ka talaga. sa sarili mong pamilya. aside from Mark Anthony, who went thru his dark past but has since successfully recovered, his two sons with Lorna Tolentino are living testimony of how responsible he was as a father, husband and friend to them.
so long Daboy. you've fought a good fight. you're in a better place now. rest in peace brother.
