#6: My Son Josh. A Life of Miracles, A Love That Endures

The past few months have been one of the toughest times for me and my family. There have been so many questions in my mind, yet some answers are simply meant to be accepted, no matter how difficult. Today, I want to share our story and how we continue to find understanding, faith, and strength in what has happened to us.

We lost our second child, Josh, last April due to sepsis. Before that, he had been confined in the hospital following an accident and stayed in the Neuro ICU for a week. Despite the fall, everything felt like a miracle from the very beginning. In the emergency room, he only had bleeding on his forehead and a fracture in his elbow. The very next day, he was already talking and eating, even while on pain medication. After ten days, he was transferred to a private room, and everything seemed to be getting better.

By the third week, we believed he was ready to come home. His discharge had already been prepared, and Josh was walking around his room, full of life and ready to return home. Then came that tragic Thursday, when his white blood cell count suddenly spiked. He was still awake and conscious then, and there was no sign of how quickly things would turn. By Friday, everything changed. That morning was the last time I spoke to him before his condition deteriorated in the afternoon. The Emergency Response Team came in, with around forty doctors and nurses doing everything they could until he had to be sedated. That was the most painful moment and the last time I saw him conscious. From that point until Sunday, April 12 at 4:12 PM, we held on as long as we could, until we finally lost him.

There are still so many unanswered questions, but I am learning, little by little, to accept that God has reasons greater than what we can understand.

In the middle of all the pain, my heart holds on to something truly special. The Wednesday before everything happened, Josh and I spent six hours talking about life. We understood each other deeply. He spoke about his dreams, his future, and how fragile life is. He cherished every moment, and we even made plans together. Those memories now mean everything to me, a reminder that even in his final days, he lived fully and with clarity.

On June 20, Josh reached one of his biggest dreams. He graduated from DLSU. Though he was not there physically, we felt his presence in every moment. Our family was filled with pride as his name was called. My wife and I walked up the stage to receive his diploma, a moment that was both heartbreaking and beautiful. It felt like he gave us the best seat in the house that day. We know he would have been proud, and we are incredibly proud of him.

Josh, I am certain that you are at peace now. Your diploma is here with us, a symbol of your hard work, your dreams, and the life you lived so meaningfully.

Our lives will never be the same, but we continue to trust in God’s plan and take each day one step at a time. Through the pain, we hold on to love, faith, and the beautiful memories you left with us.

You will always be in our hearts. We miss and love you forever, Josh.