Hello again, Hive community. I am here once again to share another story from my life and from our family. This time, I want to share something very personal and painful—the story of my uncle, my mother's youngest brother, who passed away on August 8, 2026, after battling liver cancer.
It has been two months since we lost him, but the sadness is still fresh in our hearts. Losing a loved one is never easy, especially when that person is part of your family and has been there for many years.
My uncle suffered from liver cancer. When he was younger, he often drank alcohol, and over the years, this affected his liver and made his condition weaker. Aside from his liver problem, our family also has a history of hemophilia, a blood disorder that can cause serious bleeding and may require a blood transfusion as quickly as possible when an attack occurs.
Unfortunately, despite everything that was done for him, we were not able to save his life.
Our entire family was deeply saddened by his passing. It was also one of the reasons why I was away from posting for quite some time. There were many things that needed to be taken care of, and more importantly, we needed time to grieve. Sometimes, life becomes so overwhelming that we simply cannot focus on the things we usually do. I needed to spend time with my family, help with what needed to be done, and process the loss of my uncle.
Before he passed away, he had already been sick for some time. He stayed in the hospital for about a week while everyone hoped that he would recover. We prayed and hoped for better news, but sadly, his condition became worse until he finally passed away.
The first day of his wake was especially difficult.
His wake was held at my grandmother's house, which was also his mother's home. The atmosphere was very quiet and painful. Only a few people came on the first day because the news was still fresh, and everyone was still trying to accept what had happened.
His children also came home from different places. Some traveled from Manila, while another came all the way from Saudi Arabia just to see their father for the last time.
This was one of the most painful parts for me.
It was heartbreaking to see family members coming together because of such a sad situation. We normally hope to see our relatives during happy occasions—birthdays, celebrations, reunions, or family gatherings. But this time, we were all together because we had lost someone important to our family.
Sometimes, life reminds us that we should treasure every moment we have with our loved ones because we never know when we will see them for the last time.
As the days passed, more relatives, friends, neighbors, and people who knew my uncle came to pay their respects. On his final night at the wake, many people came. Our family became busy attending to the visitors, welcoming those who came to offer their condolences, and making sure everyone was comfortable.
There was also a tribute for my uncle and our family. Everyone listened quietly as memories and messages were shared. It was emotional to hear people talk about him and express their sympathy to our family.
Although we were grieving, the presence of many people also reminded us that my uncle had touched the lives of others. Their presence gave us comfort during one of the most difficult moments of our lives.
Then came August 16, 2026, the day of his funeral.
It was around 6:30 in the morning when everyone was already prepared. The morning felt different. We knew that this was the final day we would be accompanying my uncle before he was laid to rest.
We walked from my grandmother's house, where his wake had been held, toward the church. It was several meters away, but even though the distance was not very far, the walk felt heavy. We were tired emotionally, but we continued because we wanted to be with him until the very end.
When we arrived at the church, many people had already gathered. Relatives, friends, and other people who knew our family came to attend the funeral and join us in saying our final goodbye.
Inside the church, everyone was quiet and emotional. We prayed for my uncle and asked God to give him eternal rest. We also prayed for strength for his children, his mother, his siblings, and everyone who loved him.
After the church service, we continued to the cemetery. The sadness became even more real because we knew that we were approaching the final moment.
As we finally brought him to his final resting place, everyone was grieving. It was difficult to accept that we would no longer see him, hear his voice, or spend time with him again.
Thank you, Hive community, for taking the time to read my story. After being away from posting for a while, it feels good to finally share something again. This has been a difficult season for our family, but I believe that little by little, we will learn to move forward while carrying the memories of the people we love in our hearts.
PHOTOS ARE ALL MINE. EDITED ON CANVA