25-year-old Natasha Irorita shared the story behind a viral video of her brother, John, as he waits outside their home in Pampanga just to greet her after a long day at work.
“Nung dumating po kami, kasama ko po ‘yung partner ko, sobrang saya niya. Lagi po siyang ganyan ‘pag umuuwi ako. Masaya po,” she told The Philippine STAR.
“Galing po ako ng event. Kasi events host po ako.Sabi ko uuwi naman ako ngayon. Pero hindi ko po sinabi anong oras. ‘Yun po kasi lagi iniiwasan namin na sabihin kung kailan ka uuwi. Kasi po maghihintay po talaga siya. Hihintayin niya. Umabot po ako ng alas dyes na po ‘yun. Tapos mag-iisang oras o dalawang oras na po siya naghihintay sa labas ng bahay,” she narrated.
Since Natasha is now working, she now has her own place and doesn’t live with John and their parents. Even though she has her own life, she makes sure to visit her brother and bond with him whenever she can.
“Every day naman po magka-call kami. Makulit po, lagi tumatawag, gano’n. Minsan gusto niya lang marinig ‘yung boses ko.Pero ngayon po, hindi ko na po kasi sinasabi kasi ayoko po siyang naghihintay. Tapos ‘pag naging impatient po siya, mag-iiba po ‘yung mood niya. Magta-tantrums po siya kapag sumobra na sa tagal,” she explained.
According to their mother, Janice, when she was carrying John, she experienced high-risk pregnancy.
“Bago dumating ‘yung result ng newborn screening, nagka-seizure si John. So, Kahit ‘yung mga doctor, hindi nila alam kung saan nanggaling. Siguro nung nagbi-bleed ako nung pinagbubuntis ko siya. After two weeks, nagka-meningitis siya after ng seizure niya. So, na-confine siya almost three weeks,” she recalled.
Due to John’s condition, their family decided to bring John to Maila from the province for further medical examinations.
“After ng MRI niya, nagkaroon ng blood clot doon sa brain. Kasi pala, ‘yung seizure niya sobrang lakas. So, ayon, na-diagnose si John, epileptic. So, lahat ng klase ng epilepsy, parang naranasan niya. From one year, nakita ko siya na iba. Kapag naglalaro siya, siya lang mag-isa. So, wala siyang eye contact. Seven years old, ayun, na-detect siya na autism,” Mommy Janice revealed.
Adding, “Nung una, syempre, natakot kami. Mahirap ‘yung sitwasyon namin kasi may times na mas madami ‘yung iyak kaysa doon sa masaya. Sa kanya lang talaga naka-focus ‘yung attention namin. Kailangan talaga ng attention sobra. Tapos kailangan, lahat ng kailangan sa hospital. Halos sa kanya lahat napupunta.”
Mommy Janice and her husband had no choice but to accept a job overseas to sustain the needs of John and their other children.
“‘Pag sinumpong ‘yung epilepsy niya kailangan nandoon ka kasi ‘pag sinumpong ‘yung epilepsy niya buo talaga, tapos maglalaway ‘yan lahat, napakahirap po nung nasa abroad kami kasi syempre hindi namin sila kasama,” she said.
Natasha and their grandparents worked together to take care of John while their parents were working.
“Ako rin po kasi ‘yung hinahanap-hanap niya. Talagang siya talaga ‘yung kasama kong lumaki. Noong halos pinanganak po si John John, lagi lang po siyang nasa hospital. Hindi po talaga namin siya nakikita sa bahay. Growing up with John, mahirap kasi syempre medyo critical po. Lagi mo siyang kinakausap, lagi, ‘yung attention talaga sa kanya lang po. Dapat kung ano po ‘yung ginagawa niya, nakatingin kayo, nakabantay kayo,” she said.
“Hindi naman din po labag sa loob namin kasi growing up with John-John po. Talagang exciting ‘yung buhay. Maraming plot twist every day. Di mo alam kung masaya siya ngayon, kung bukas anong mood niya. Parang naging gano’n po ‘yung rollercoaster ‘yung buhay namin sa bahay. Hindi po naging dull ‘pag naging kasama siya,” Natasha stressed.
