The loving wife of the late Vice President Salvador Laurel opens up about her husband’s brave and inspiring battle against the Big C — and the Almighty ally that helped him every step of the way. His family will be celebrating his 92nd birth anniversary two days from now.
By Celia Diaz-Laurel
With what is going on around us today, I realized that it would be timely to share what happened to my husband during those days. I am writing this article in the hope that it will inspire and uplift our anxious fellowmen; to remind them that God is, and will always be, in control.
We brought Doy for treatment at the Stanford University Medical Center in San Francisco for either leukemia or myelodysplasia at first, as well as for a severe skin allergy. From September 2003 onwards, he went through a series of tests but Stanford could not determine what he had. I continued consulting other doctors and even went to Vancouver to explore medical options with my daughter, Suzie, and Doy’s chief of staff, Baby Herrera.
During our recent family get-together via Zoom, I listened to my children talk about their father and his upcoming birthday on Nov. 18. We began to reminisce about the happy times we spent. But what we cannot forget were Doy’s spiritual experiences in his last days in San Francisco, USA.
When we returned to Stanford, the oncologist we consulted told us that he had skin lymphoma, which had become aggressive. She strongly recommended to counter it with advanced chemotherapy treatments. By this time, we were already staying at a rented apartment near Stanford hospital. Doy would often lapse into a pensive mood.
On one of those days, he suddenly turned to me and said, “Imagine, I have cancer!”
First Encounter: “I have always been there for you.”
“I just talked to God and I said to Him, I am asking you for the first time — please heal me! The Lord smiled at me and said, ‘It’s not the first time.’” These were the words that Doy said after taking a nap when he was discharged from Stanford Medical Center for his initial treatment.
I saw tears streaming down his face, his shoulders shaking. It was the first time I ever saw my husband like this. He continued: “Then suddenly I saw my life flash before me — it was so clear— just like a movie! I saw myself when I was eight years old lying very sick in bed. The Lord said — ‘Remember you were so sick your mother thought you were dying but you asked Me for help and I made you well. You were so weak, you were crawling on all fours; you couldn’t walk. But I answered your prayers. I made you well.’”
‘When you were tied with the dilemma of having two opposition candidates against President Marcos—you prayed for help and I answered you.’
‘So this is not the first time that you have prayed to Me for help. I have always been there for you.’
‘Just continue what you are doing. You are on the right track. I will tell you what to do when the time comes,’ the Lord said to Doy.
Second Encounter: “Be with Me, always.”
From September onward, Doy stayed at the hospital. One day, when I entered his room, he whispered, “I had another encounter!” I immediately got a piece of paper and a pen to write down exactly what happened.
“I was alone,” he started. “I always pray alone without distraction. I saw a man enter my room as I was praying — I did not see his face — he was inconspicuously dressed. I thought he was a hospital employee. I cried to God to hear my pleas.
“Wala na bang katapusan ito? Lord, heal me! Give me complete recovery. Give me back my strength so I can win my vindication in the courts of law — this is so important to me! I need to know what to do! I felt He was amused in a gentle way. Then suddenly, like a bolt of lightning — in what seemed like a blinding sunlight — I heard the Lord’s answer.”
His answer: “You are in the right direction. Complete your medication. You will get your total vindication so you can work for greater things for the good of others. I will tell you when the time comes. You will know what to do. The only time you have is now. Everything is ready for you—just get it! Be with Me always and continue to do the best you can for your family and country.’’
“He was so decisive!” exclaimed Doy.
“Then He laid His hand on my shoulder—so gentle, so warm, so protective. I felt strong! I had no more questions to ask. The Lord had erased all my doubts. He had changed my mind and my views. It was a strange feeling, sensing His presence. How nice it was to talk to Him! The encounter was so casual. Almost as if He was my Father who really understood and loved me. Imagine, He was right here beside me.”
His fighting spirit
Doy was able to celebrate his 75th birthday on Nov. 18, 2003 with family and close friends who went to San Francisco just for the occasion. In his stirring speech, he said, “A fighting faith, a fighting spirit is what is sustaining me. Everyday is a bonus.”
At another time, he said: “Now I know why we are here. It is not for fortune nor for fame — not even for political power — I’ve been there. We are here to help those who cannot help themselves.”
A month later, Doy developed a fever and was rushed to the hospital. Shortly afterwards, he collapsed and was in a coma for 21 days. (Days before, Suzie had a dream where her father, looking young and tanned, told her that he would die in December). When he awoke from his coma, he told his family that he died for two minutes, “pero, tumawad ako,” as he had to finalize everything and spend more time with his family.
Knowing that the end was near, he asked that be brought home. He would tell me that he liked the way I made our rented place beautiful and quipped, “I want my other house like this.” Later, I learned that he meant his house in the other life.
During that week, I saw Doy at peace. Before he went into a coma, he had already instructed Atty. Jose Oliveros to issue a public statement in the Philippines stating: “One who tries to serve his country must be prepared to suffer false and undeserved accusations, even the sneers and sarcasm of ignorance and malice — sustained only by the thought that God, in the end, will do him justice. I have no rancor in my heart, I have already forgiven those who tried to malign me.”
A few days before he passed away on Jan. 27, 2004, as he lay dying and saw the worried looks of Lynnie and Cocoy, he smilingly said: “You don’t understand — it’s not hard and I am not afraid — it’s just like going to another planet, and it’s beautiful. I have a house there and my old friends are waiting for me.”
“In the end, all you have is your faith in God, your fighting spirit and the love of your family and the continuing concern for what is happening in our country.”
