The 9-year-old girl from Talisay City who saved her younger brother from a fire that destroyed their house and four others last Monday is assured of a free education until college.
Rhea Tisoy was given a full scholarship by Cebu City Councilor Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba to study in Southwestern University.
Alcoseba said the girl’s courage and sense of filial loyalty deserved praise and a reward.
Rhea, a grade 3 pupil of Bulacao Elementary School, will be enrolled next year in SWU’s Basak Campus.
But with a death in the family – her cousin Mark Lester died in the fire – Rhea said she regretted not being able to save one more life.
Rhea Tisoy saved her 1-year-old brother Rayven who was sleeping in the living room when the fire broke out in their house in sitio Hanod in barangay Bulacao.
She said she tried to save 3-year-old cousin Mark Lester but was met by flames when she tried to enter the room where the boy was playing with his twin brother Mark Anthony, who was rescued by another family member.
Fire investigators said the fire started in that room, where there were combustible materials used in the family’s enterprise of making wooden images of the Sto. Niño.
“Wala rako gibati nga hero kuno ko kay gaguol man ko ni Lester,” she told Cebu Daily News yesterday. “Ambot lang.”
(I don’t feel I’m a hero because I’m sad about what happened to Lester… I really don’t know.)
In tears, Rhea recalled that she was watching over her little brother who was sleeping in the living room when she heard Mark Lester shout “Mama” from inside the room.
When no one answered, Rhea said she went to the room and tried to enter.
The flames at the door stopped her. She then took her sleeping brother to safety .
She said she tried to get back inside the house to rescue Lester but had to retreat when the fire got bigger.
“Pinangga kaayo to nako si Lester. Pirmi mi magduwa ato niya ug dili gani mananan-aw mi ug TV,” she said while looking at the direction of Lester’s coffin in their house where a vigil wake is ongoing.
(I really loved Lester. We would always play together or and even skip watching TV.)
“Gimingaw kaayo ko ni Lester. Wala ko gatuo nga mamatay siya ug wala nako siya naluwas,” she added.
(I miss Lester so much. I can’t believe he’s dead and that I wasn’t able to save him.)
Her mother, Rochie, 32, said she was proud of her daughter and happy to have a child with a sense of responsibility.
If not of Rhea’s quick action, she said, Rayven could have died in the fire.
Social workers from the Talisay City government are making trauma healing sessions available for Rhea and Mark Anthony and other members of the Tisoy family.
Rosela Tisoy, 34 and Elesio Tisoy Jr., 38, stand as parents of the twins after their mother, Helen, a younger sister of Roselia died after giving birth to the twins in Negros on May 30, 2009.
Roselia and Elesio have three children of their own but consider the twins their own.
When they were growing up, Rosela said that the twins suffered from asthma and would usually go to the doctor for check-ups.
But she said she never complained because they love the twins as their own children.
Rosela said she remembers that Mark Lester was fond of scribbling on paper and wanted to be a teacher.
Elesio showed the wounds on his back which he said he sustained from electric shock when he tried to save Lester.
“Dili nako mapasaylo akong kaogalingon hangtod ko mamatay kay wala nako naluwas akong anak,” Elesio said.
(I can’t forgive myself until I die because I failed to save my child.)
When CDN visited the vigil wake in their home, Elesio sat in front of the boy’s coffice, leaning and embracing the small, wooden box containing the remains of his adopted son.
Rhea and her mother earlier visited the office of Councilor Alcoseba on Thursday where they were told about the scholarship.
Alcoseba is a candidate for the position of Provincial Board member in the 1st district, which includes Talisay City.
The Bureau of Fire Protection and the Talisay City government are also set to give Rhea formal honors for rescuing her younger brother. /with reports from Correspondent Gabriel C. Bonjoc