There’s nothing quite like a mother’s love.
Twitter user Ricardo Ace Bolo @acebxlo recently shared a now-viral video in which his mother, who is battling cancer, can be seen joining him on stage and placing a medal around his neck during his graduation at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila.
In his tweet, he explained that, months ago, his mother had been admitted to a hospital and was in “extremely” critical condition. He said in a mix of English and Filipino, “She’d always say that she might not make it to my graduation, but I always replied, ‘Fight! In May, you’re going to go up the stage and put a medal on me.'”
“And she did,” he said.
Months ago my mom was admitted at the hospital and was in extremely critical condition because of her cancer. She’d always say na baka ‘di na siya aabot sa graduation ko, but I always replied “Lumaban ka! sa Mayo aakyat ka pa sa stage at sasabitan mo ako ng medal”
And she did pic.twitter.com/1hX1p67n1e
— Ace Bolo #ResistTogether ️ (@acebxlo) May 30, 2019
The moving video, taken Thursday, shows a tearful Ricardo as his mother places the medal on him after his graduation with honors from UST Senior High School.
Ricardo told Coconuts Manila via Twitter that his mother, Cynthia Bolo, was originally diagnosed with uterine sarcoma in November, only to later find out it was ovarian cancer.
“At first she denied the option of treatment, because she was depressed and she was worried about our financials,” he said.
When February came, he said, his mother was admitted at a hospital and diagnosed with stage 2 ovarian cancer. “She was in so much pain,” he said.
He added that focusing on his studies was at times difficult after his mother was admitted. “I always felt super guilty every moment that I had to go to school because I just wanted to be with her by her side,” he said.
Family, friends, and relatives reached out to them to provide support, he said, while news that he has earned a college scholarship will help to some degree on the financial end.
“Thank God I was also granted a full scholarship at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in Manila, so we’re going full-on for her meds and treatment. It’s extremely expensive,” he told Coconuts.
“Every [time] after [a] chemo session, you could literally feel her pain and suffering when you look at her. She would say then that she doesn’t think she’ll get past her birthday, which was May 18, which was also my graduation, but she did and she’s still fighting.”
In a separate Twitter post, the 18-year-old senior high school graduate shared that he shaved his head — something you’ll notice in the video — as a symbol of solidarity with his mother.
Nothing in my life is as priceless as THIS MOMENT. I’m not just proud of myself, but also my mom for fighting the battle every single day. I’d witness her pain and suffering every after chemo, and although she may seem weak on the outside, she is a million times STRONGER inside. pic.twitter.com/8tlqd1eI0V
— Ace Bolo #ResistTogether ️ (@acebxlo) May 30, 2019
“I shaved my head so that she won’t feel alone,” he said. “She feels insecure and ugly, she would never leave the house without a hat to cover her head with. At least now, she would feel less alone.”
Ricardo said he had never actually shaved his head before. “So in March when I saw her for the first time without her luscious hair (she had beautiful blonde curls, it was her thing!), I resolved to go up the stage with her [bald], so that we’re both the same.”
The video has been viewed by 386,000 people and retweeted more than 6,000 times as of this article’s posting.
“I love your mom’s style!” Twitter user @frequentlymeg said. “And God bless her. She’s such a fighter. She’s lucky to have you, too.”
I love your mom’s style! Aaa God bless her. She’s such a fighter. She’s lucky to have you, too.
— Meg (@frequentlymeg) May 30, 2019
“[T]his makes me so soft i’m so proud of you, congratulations again luv u!!!” said @kyIatte said.
ace!!!!! this makes me so soft i’m so proud of you, congratulations again luv u!!!
— (@kyIatte) May 30, 2019
@_alyssaespino said in a mix of English and Filipino: “congratssss my aceeee and especially to your fabulous mom i love you so muchhh”
congratssss my aceeee and lalo na sa pak na pak na mom mo i love you so muchhh ❤️
— aly (@_alyssaespino) May 30, 2019
@MrBreadstix said: “She slayed on stage with that style damn I stan.”
She slayed on stage with that style damn I stan
— breadstix (@MrBreadstix) June 1, 2019
