Grieving parents Janna Dominguez and Mickey Ablan recounted the heart-wrenching final moments they shared with their beloved daughter Yzabel Zablan, whose passing left a deep void in their lives.
In a deeply emotional and candid interview with PEP, the couple opened up about the last moments of their daughter Yzabel Ablan who passed away at the age of 20.
According to Mickey, he was with his daughter the morning of the day of her death. He shared that Yzabel contacted him, saying she wanted to see him.
“Kinu-contact pala ako kasi gusto ako makikita. So, medyo inumaga ako uwi doon. Ayun, naabutan ko siya. Okay naman siya,” he said.
Mickey shared that Yzabel even expressed her excitement to see her baby brother, Michael Zab Leon III, their youngest child born to Janna in the early hours of October 7—just a few hours before Yzabel’s passing.
He added, “Sabi niya [last] Thursday, kasi excited na daw siya makita ang brother niya.”
Before sadly continuing, “Ayun nga, nakauwi nga siya dito. Ayun lang, ‘di nga lang buhay.”
It also appears that Yzabel had a premonition before her passing, but Janna didn’t fully grasp it.
The Pepito Manaloto actress shared that their daughter asked for her permission to bond with her father in her condominium in Manila.
Janna described Yzabel as a “very independent” young lady who wants to have her own space. While Yzabel was based in Manila where she had her condo unit, her parents along with their other children, live in Clark, Pampanga.
Continuing, Janna said, “Nung time na yun, Thursday, first time, nag-message siya sa akin na, ‘Daddy, ay, Mommy, okay lang ba na umuwi si Daddy, like, three days pa after?’ Pinapaalam niya si Daddy niya na parang gusto niya makasama pa.”
“Who would have thought nung Saturday, nung time na sinabi ko na manganganak na ako, sabi ko sama niya, na pinipilit ko pasama si Yza dito. Gusto ko na pauwiin para makita niya yung brother niya,” she added.
That Thursday, the two recalled Yzabel’s asthma attack. Janna mentioned that Mickey repeatedly asked Yzabel how she was feeling, noting that his daughter was very strong.
However, Mickey acknowledged that he should have taken her to the hospital instead of opting for a home service checkup. They mentioned that the doctor assured them everything was fine.
According to Mickey, he even arranged for a home blood test because Yzabel didn’t want to leave the condo. He told Yzabel to message him if there were any issues. Mickey then went back to Pampanga with Janna because she was due to give birth.
However, he received a call from Yzabel’s caregiver, who was panicking and said they had to revive Yzabel. Mickey rushed back, and while on the way, he called his friends to go to the ER.
Mickey’s friend arrived at the condo, where Yzabel had collapsed. They attempted to revive her for 20 minutes. She regained a pulse and started breathing. However, her heart stopped again, and her breathing ceased. Mickey arrived at around 1:15 a.m. and found her unresponsive.
She was already declared lifeless by that time.
Janna explained that she didn’t think it would lead to this tragic event but mentioned that Yzabel was continuously updating her about her health and medications.
“Not in my ano talaga, na mangyayari ito. Kasi para sa akin, very strong ang anak namin talaga. In every aspect ng buhay, talagang lumalaban siya,” the actress told PEP.
She continued, “Imagine mo, moyamoya disease (cerebrovascular disorder), nalagpasan niya. Lahat-lahat ng ano niya, beyond ano dahil sa faith, and ano niya, hindi namin maisip na dahil lang sa ubo na yan, dito mag-start, alam mo yun, yung ganito.
“Tapos sobrang gusto niya pa makita yung kapatid niya. Alam mo yun, yung uwing-uwi na siya. Naka-plan yan, e, this week. Naka-plan yan. Thursday pa lang uwi na siya before birthday ng youngest sister niya,” she said.
Janna shared that Yzabel did not pass away at the same time she gave birth to Leon, adding they even exchanged a conversation through messaging.
“Magka-message pa kami. So, nanganak ako 3:49 a.m. Tapos before pa nun, 10 o’clock, 11 o’clock, nagpu-post na ako kasi gusto ko makita din nila na pumutok na yung pantog ko. Nag-comment pa siya nun. Nag-reply pa ako nun kasi nasa ER pa lang ako nun, e,” Janna recalled.
She added, “Nung time na nanganak ako, sinend ko agad sa kanila, kasi siyempre galing akong anaesthesia, nag-undergo ako ng anaesthesia, tapos recovery room. So, bago ako ma-groggy sa mga gamot, sinend ko na sa kanila yung pictures para makita nila. Tapos nag-reply pa pala siya nun.”
“Nung nakita ko na lang dito yung reply niya na, ‘Praying Mommy,’ sabi niya, ganyan,” Janna recalled Yzabel’s last message.
Janna also described her state while in the recovery room after giving birth, anxiously awaiting updates on Yza’s condition.
She explained, “Imadyinin mo hindi ka makagalaw, nakatingin ka lang sa kisame, tapos nangyayari yun. Sabi ko nga, umalis na sila Mickey, ‘Puntahan na si Yza kasi mas kailangan kayo ni Yza,’ sabi ko, ganyan-ganyan.'”
Janna hoped for the better as she awaited for updates about Yzabel’s state. While she received good news that Yzabel was revived and conscious, the actress likened her emotions to a rollercoaster as she received another call that her daughter was being revived again.
“Thank you ako nang thank you. Ta’s biglang, yung feeling na parang rollercoaster, biglang another tawag na naman, biglang nire-revive na naman. So, parang hopeless yung feeling na wala ka sa tabi.
“Wala ka sa tabi ng anak mo na nangyayari lahat yun bilang magulang. Yun yung ang isa sa mga biggest regret namin na yung time na last breath niya, wala kami.”
Earlier, Janna revealed the cause of Yzabel’s death was due to “sudden heart failure and lung infection”.
