When the CCTV footage of the incident was released on television, none of Lucy’s siblings who were watching the news thought it was their sister until a friend called one of them up and suggested that it could be her.
Lucy was a responsible daughter and sister. She is the eldest among six siblings and as such, she was aware early on of her responsibility over her siblings. Even when she was in her 20s through her 50s, she thought of nothing else but the welfare of her siblings. In fact, she shunned her own chances at love and marriage because she felt there are more important things to attend to — like her family — than her personal concerns.
Despite Lucy’s selflessness, fate seemed to turn its back on her. Her sister, Gina, whom she had hoped would earn a degree and land a career that could someday alleviate their family’s poverty instead ended up being pregnant at a young age. Meanwhile, her brothers decided to stop schooling and look for jobs, no matter how menial, to earn a living — and this is not how Lucy had envisioned their future to be.
As if all her misfortunes weren’t enough, Lucy was diagnosed with a type of oral cancer. Despite her condition, she strived to endure her own sufferings and set aside every penny she could spare for her family’s needs. One day, she probably thought she couldn’t take it anymore. She decided to take matters into her own hands and ended her own life.
Find out more about the life story of Lucy Aroma based on the accounts of the people who know her best — her siblings, and know what lessons her family has learned from the incident.
Don’t miss this heartbreaking episode of “Magpakailanman” hosted by multi-awarded journalist Mel Tiangco, airing this Saturday, January 12, after “Kap’s Amazing Stories” on GMA-7
