Singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid revealed that he nearly died after choking on food during what was supposed to be a joyful celebration of his 15th wedding anniversary with wife Regine Velasquez-Alcasid in December 2025.
Alcasid shared the harrowing experience during a joint interview with Regine on broadcast journalist Karmina Constantino’s podcast ‘KC After Hours’.
According to Ogie, the incident happened after a concert he performed as part of their anniversary trip with family.
“After the concert, I was chatting with the band and I have this really bad habit of not chewing my food,” he said. “I choked on my food, on the chicken I was eating. It was quite dry and I had a bad cough too. I choked and lost consciousness.”
Regine did not mince words about how serious the situation was.
“He almost died,” she said.
Fortunately, Ogie’s daughter Sarah Alcasid, a nurse based in Australia, was present and immediately intervened.
“She pounded his back. It was a few seconds but we could have lost him,” Regine recalled. “I was so scared and I was so shocked. I could not believe it. In my head, I kept thinking I could have actually lost him.”
Ogie said he regained consciousness with his daughter holding his face.
“She said, ‘Dad, can you hear me? Can you breathe?’” he shared.
The near-death experience led to serious reflections for the veteran musician.
“I had so many realizations that night,” Ogie said. “Life is really short and it comes so unexpectedly.”
Injecting his trademark humor, he added: “And going away while eating chicken is not ideal. It’s not a good way to go, not a good look.”
Following the incident, Ogie said he has become more mindful about eating and resting, something Regine has long reminded him to do—especially after a very busy 2025 filled with work and family milestones.
The couple, married since 2010, marked their 15th anniversary despite the health scare, which ultimately became a powerful reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of slowing down.
