Long before Rico Yan came in entertainment world, I didn’t know who I was today. Despite my disability being having with Down syndrome was not a hindrance to me anymore. But to tell you the truth, I have many troubles came when I was a kid.

 

1981 was a year when I came in. Pope John Paul II was having giving a mass in Quezon Memorial Circle when the time I was born already. But my parents gave me a nickname through Pope John Paul II and my real name came from my grandfather’s name and also from my father’s name also. To decide what was given to my life, I was also given to change the world in times of needed and supported. So I was given to be born here in the world to make it happen bigger.

 

And bigger opportunities when Rico Yan came around in 1994. I’ve remembered when he came in Master Eskinol commercial, his own very first commercial have ever been made. The longer it waited the opportunities, he also landed on his three film projects and two television appearances in 1996. That was his achievements. But my achievements wasn’t change the year of 1994.

 

It was the year 1994 that I turned a teenager. And when Rico smiled every angle at his commercial, I also smiled back on the mirror changing my opportunities if I could be also a model. Or if the time will come for me to grab an opportunity. It set my goals.

 

My dreams before was to become a photographer when I was still in elementary graduation. “If I become a photographer someday, I would get a glimpse to picture the scene of Mt. Mayon in Bicol where I love the area. It gives a beauty scenario,” that was at the back of my head when I said to myself.

 

Across at the back of my head, my high school dreams has changed through times of desperation what really my dreams were telling me about. Then I decided to tell my school mates, my classmates and my teachers that I will enter entertainment industry someday to become an actor. It was my biggest dreams that set in my mind way back before. It was all because I owe from Rico Yan who really me inspired so much in spite that I have disability. But a disability that I have before was a hindrance. My parents told me several times that I couldn’t entered in universities like University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas or in De La Salle University in Taft Avenue. But the dreams shattered to me when my parents told me that I won’t lasted graduating in my course I really liked was music in UST, theatre arts in UP or any courses in DLSU.

 

People have changed through times. And I didn’t know what to do. So I always gave doubts and fears inside at the back of my head thinking I wasn’t able coping my own problems. Because that time I was having a hard time on myself in denial stage before.

 

When I entered college in the year of 2000, my course was culinary arts and I studied in Center for Culinary Arts or CCA. It was a pioneering school who caters students studying in the field of baking or culinary. And at that time, I’ve had a few classmates who was also been a celebrities naming Danica Sotto and Diego Castro. They were my batch mates before. Diego was a son of late anchor man of ABS-CBN, Angelo Castro Jr. and cousin to Rico Yan.

 

Aside from them, I also have friends with cousin of Agot Isidro, Aljur Abrenica, Heart Evangelista and Rico Yan‘s female cousin. What else that I came in a reality? These cousins of celebrities, I was been blessed to have with them. Although I don’t want to name their names here in an article I am writing, it is about a privacy. Somehow I look myself in the mirror thinking at the back of my head if I could enter in entertainment industry someday and the question is, “when if the time comes?”

 

So I gave up my dreaming my goals to become an actor, a singer and a dancer. I was frustrated and depressed because of a hindrance that I have a disability. Knowing Rico Yan was not here anymore because when I heard the news that he died peacefully in his sleep in 29th of March, 2002. The news came viral everywhere around the nation. And so the followers and fans of Rico Yan have been giving their love for Rico. But my sides remained calm and peacefully.

 

Nine years later, it was already 2011. I’ve had a dreams recurring every night thinking at the back of my head because of him. Then one day when I posted some important to do was to set important details each and every day I have. The bad news came when I felt something strange inside of me. But the intentions were not in bad shape. Instead, my cousin invited me in networking in UNO. Literally I joined with her. I’ve lasted five months in multi-level marketing or networking in UNO from June to October 2011. But the acceptance was been made during I was working. So I thought myself having to know that I could do this on my own independent ways of earning.

 

Out of frustrations and depressions, I broke the chain and accepted who I was to be because of my disability. That kind of work of networking gave me a chills to my bones and my flesh. It was the time I’ve accepted my disability during July of 2011. Then later when I only lasted in October. I’ve joined and searched my genealogy roots both sides of my father and my mother’s sides. Knowing my side of my father, I was surprised when I was related to Pilar Pilapil, Dingdong Avanzado and Mark Bautista because they were all descendants of Veloso. Because I was also a descendant of Veloso clan. Wow, that was unimaginable thoughts inside at the back of my head.

 

Then at first, my dreams were coming back to me. So I’ve decided to bring my dreams again this time when I will enter the limelight of entertainment industry. With the likes of Danica Sotto, Diego Castro, Pilar Pilapil, Dingdong Avanzado and Mark Bautista, when will I become one of them at the back of my head?

 

At the end at the back of my head, I’ve remembered that I also have relatives who entered in entertainment industry. My two uncles Danny Javier and Dyords Javier were in entertainment industry. Danny Javier retired from the entertainment industry already, but his sibling Dyords Javier was still in the entertainment industry. So I make a classic move that I will become one of them, but on my definition to make my own name instead.

 

One year ago I joined with Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines, or DSAPI, on January 2012. Then I also joined in their annual walk event of the year, the 20th Happy Walk, in The Block, SM North EDSA on 19th of February, 2012, the day of my birthday. I was enjoying walking with someone that I also have a disability being having with Down syndrome. Having with a disability was not a hindrance to me anymore. Instead, all I want to become is to make my own name whether the dreams is still leading me in the right choice or decisions that I have.

 

Then I became a member last December 2012 where I got my first membership identification card. And to top of that, I also have experiences to speak in the audience who invited to come over in University of Santo Tomas to speak a short inspirational talk about me. The students, the school organizations and the teachers were applauded at my first short inspirational talk. But I was nervous that time. Maybe I have to speak again in the future.

 

But the blessings didn’t stop pouring down this year of 2013. I got my passport on my own applying in Megamall in January 2013. That was also the month I got my NBI clearance and my police clearance as well. So to decide what I was going to do – was to apply again in the next few months. But the 24th Angels Walk came when I joined and supported the autism awareness month last January 2013. It was my first support with the organization I joined. I saw one of UST who invited me last November 2012. And then at the back of my head, I’ve realized it was important for me already attending those events every year.

 

Then the 21st Happy Walk also came in last February 2013. It was my second Happy Walk I’ve joined. To added, there was one parent who came over to me and said, “I read your blog and I am one of your follower reading one of your article posts. Good job! Continue to inspire us.” At the back of my head, it was barely one year old of my studio site already. My studio debuted on 16th of March, 2012 where I posted my two articles at that time. Then a facebook page came later on 4th of July, 2012. I guessed that I put the dates on historical dates.

 

It came upon across at the back of my head when I also applied my first PWD identification card last 19th of March, 2013. I also knew why I chose the date because I loved to remember the dates I was putting in historical dates. But then at the height of my depression again during of April 2013, I was hesitated to go out and not looked for another job. Because despite I already completed the requirements including my medical certification. This was already the time if I want to have a girlfriend or not. So the dreams might occurred that I wasn’t able coping it one of my problems.

 

Then it came the month of May 2013. When my parents traveled to Europe for their vacation, that was the time I’ve had a girlfriend. But then, it was someone who also liked Rico Yan. From her, I didn’t know how to figure out what went wrong from me and from her. I’ve ended up a guy accepting a relationship with my girlfriend. And she was the one asking my hand to have relationship with her. Then I said, “yes.” Soon when it lasted only eight days of our relationship on the day of 16th of May. Our relationship ended eight days of relationship from 8th to 16th of May. Then I was not glad it was not over yet.

 

When I saw Nick Vujicic for the first time in Music Hall, Mall of Asia, I was surprised what Nick looked like. Because after all, he had no limbs of pairs of legs and arms. And to my surprise, that involved my life I also have a disability. And being having a disability was not a hindrance to me anymore. That was when 20th of May, 2013 happened.

 

A the height of desperation of cooling our relationship with my ex-girlfriend, all I wanted was to go back with her someday. So I walked in a job of the school on the day of 21st of May. On the seventh day of going back, I was hired already. Knowing myself in a different pattern, I’ve landed on my fourth job with a different job description – as an assistant teacher.

 

Fast-forwarded to this present day, I’ve accepted a chance to look forward getting to know what it will become for me in the year of 2014. Today is a final day of 2013 and tomorrow is a new day of 2014. I’ve so much to tell looking forward of 2014. What if I walk-in again in different job description? Will it become my job? To tell you the truth, this job of being as an assistant teacher I never chose about of this job. Instead the job looked for me surprisingly. So the words were not scripted but it was a fate for me when I followed my grandmother’s footsteps to become as an assistant teacher.

 

My lessons I have learned for this year of 2013 was honoring my job so beautifully, getting to know what the surroundings would like to know me better and the world had a place for me to look forward. No matter how small dreams can be, sometimes it can be a bigger opportunity would like to be. When you know how small dreams can act, it can also set bigger dreams in exchange of your place. This was how Rico Yan changed me from time I was depressed and frustrated to have a better job, positive outlook in life, happiness and optimistic when looking forward to future with positive thoughts.

 

What about you? How Rico Yan would change your life?

 

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