Last call for ‘Mang Rudy’

At the wake of Rudy Salvo. INQUIRER.net/Faye Orellana

It had always been that way: Mary Jane Salvo would call her husband Rudy every so often to check on him as he drove around Metro Manila sometime ago as a taxi driver and even when he became a Grab driver.

She said she promised herself to do that knowing the dangers of her husband’s work especially amid reports that robbers victimize public transport drivers.

Mary Jane, 49, made sure to phone Rudy, 54, before she went to bed, as soon as she woke up, or just whenever she felt like hearing his voice. She said Rudy would also do the same.

“Hindi ko akalain na ‘yung gabi na ‘yun… ‘yung tinawagan ko siya… sabi ko ‘Hello, Pa?’ sabi niya ‘Oh hello, Ma. Andito ako sa highway, may ipi-pick up ako na pasahero sa Pasig, kapag ano, tatawag nalang ako’,” a teary-eyed Mary Jane told INQUIRER.net in an interview.

“Noong oras na nakausap ko siya, okay pa, pero parang malungkot. Hindi ko alam na papunta na pala siya doon, na pa-stroke na siya n’on,” she added.

On the night of November 16, a Friday, Mary Jane and Rudy’s daughter received a strange call from a Pasig village security guard. Minutes before, the security guard saw a seemingly unconscious Rudy slumped inside his car, clutching a rosary while apparently trying to unlock his mobile phone.

“Ang tatay mo inatake. Pumunta ka sa ospital na ito ngayon na (Your father had a stroke. Go to this hospital now),” the village security guard told the daughter.

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“Ma, si Papa na-stroke daw. Ma!! Ma!!,” the daughter called out on Mary Jane, who was about to sleep at the time.

“Papa. Stroke. Hospital,” Mary Jane told herself, trying to make sense of what she just heard. When she finally understood what was happening, she felt like a bucket of ice-cold water had just been splashed at her.

She quickly prepared their things and searched for some money to cover hospital expenses.

Their neighbors in Caloocan City heard the screaming that one of them even spared P1,000 so Mary Jane and daughter could rush to the Pasig hospital.

At the hospital, Mary Jane anxiously waited for the ambulance carrying his husband to arrive. It was the longest 30 minutes of her life.

“Wala na siyang malay, kinabitan na siya ng oxygen, sobrang hilik na niya, grabe ‘yung hilik niya,” she recalled upon seeing Rudy emerge from the ambulance.

“Tapos ginigising siya, hindi na siya makasagot, wala na talaga, hilik nalang talaga siya nang hilik, parang natutulog,” she added.

Examination on Rudy showed he suffered hemorrhagic stroke or the bursting of blood vessels in the brain.

Despite efforts to revive Rudy, he died that same night.

Rudy was supposed to turn 55 today, November 23. But it would have been a double celebration last Sunday because Mary Jane and Rudy’s youngest turned two years old on November 18. Instead, that day became the first day of Rudy’s wake.

“Sabi niya ‘kahit walang pera paghandaan natin si bunso, sabi niya manghiram daw ako ng tent. Byahe daw muna siya sa Linggo kahit umaga, imbitahan niya ‘yung mga ninong, magsasayawan sila, mag vi-videoke,” she said, fighting to hold back the tears.

“Sabi niya na ‘yung birthday niya, ‘yun na lang rin, isahang celebration na lang. Ayun naman pala… doon siya mawawala,” added Mary Jane, tears finally rolling down her cheeks.

Christmas this year would never be the same, too. The family would have gone for a picnic at the Luneta Park and spent the whole night staring at the stars. Mary Jane said that was Rudy’s grand plan. And she doesn’t know if she can still do it without him.

In spite of the tragedy, however, Mary Jane saw no reason to blame anyone, especially God.

“Hindi ako dumating sa punto na tinanong ko ang Diyos bakit ‘yung asawa ko ‘yung kinuha, hindi ko po sinisi ‘yung Panginoon. Ang ano ko, nagpapasalamat po ako sa Panginoon na ‘yung taong napupunta sa kanya, mababait po silang tao,” she said.

Mary Jane then expressed her gratitude to all of Rudy’s passengers who gave him t-shirts, food, and tips. She also thanked those who sent financial assistance to the family following the death of her husband.

“Ang mami-miss ko sa kanya ‘yung lambing, ‘yung sinasabi niya na, ‘I love you, Ma. Mahal ko kayo ng mga anak ko. Kahit nakakapagod, ang hirap sa byahe, magsisikap ako para sainyo, sa mga anak ko. Mahal ko kayo’,” she said.

Mary Jane then stood before Rudy’s casket.

“Thank you, Pa, sa pagmamahal mo sa’kin, sa mga anak natin. Hindi ka namin makakalimutan. I love you and I will miss you.” /kga