Jam Sebastian’s mom refused to give up fight

Photo by Nestor Corrales/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines— “Anak, laban pa tayo.”

These were the words of Maricar Sebastian before her son, Jam of the YouTube Jamich fame, succumbed to lung cancer on March 4.

“The fight is over. We lost the battle,” a teary-eyed Sebastian told INQUIRER.net at the wake of her son at the Loyola Memorial Park in Sucat, Paranaque.

Last moments

Sebastian said after her son went comatose on February 26, he managed to wake up a day after.

“I thought it was miracle,” she said but little did she know that things would get worse since then.

At 8 a.m. on March 4, she said jam no longer had a pulse.

“Pero alam mo humihinga pa siya, talagang lumalaban pa siya,” she said.

According to her, the doctors already told her that Jam’s case was hopeless.

‘Jam still wanted to fight’

“Gusto ng mga doctor and nurse na ubusin na lang yung gamot sa kanya pero ako hindi ayoko,” she said.

“Sabi ko hindi meron pa riyan ubusin natin stock,  hintayin na lang natin yung machine ang bumigay,” she added.

She said she talked to her son and asked him to close and open her eyes if he still wants to fight.

Jam obliged.

At around 10:28 a.m., Jam’s life support gave up on him.

Her mother said she started crying and began hysterical.

She hugged her son tight since she wasn’t able to do it for a long time due to his condition.

Jam’s body has been in pain and sensitive since he had cancer.

Lessons from Jam’s ordeal

She said Jam’s condition thought them many lessons in life.

“Kailangang maging ready ka. Na ang buhay pala ay maraming surprises na di mu alam kung kailan darating yung dagok sa buhay mo,” she said.

“Kahit ayaw mo, darating at darating sa ‘yo na kailangan mong harapin sa buhay,” she added.

She said they never thought that Jam would have to battle cancer.

Her mother recounted how Jam wanted to have mercy killing  due to extreme pain.
But her crying mother said she refused to grant Jam’s wish.

“As mother ako yung bumuhay sa kanya tapos I’ll stop it,” she said.

Jam’s promise

When her mother found out about Jam’s cancer in March 2014, she said she cried and couldn’t believe the news.

“Sana nananaginip lang ako,” she said.

But her son comforted her and told her not to cry.

“Promise ko sa iyo di kita iiwan,” she recalled Jam saying those words to her as they hugged each other.

He mother said that during the times Jam could still talk, he said he would always thank her for everything.

“Thank you kasi alam ko ginawa mo naman lahat.  Thank you talaga,” her mother recalled jam as saying.

A legend, A hero

For Maricar, her son will forver be a “legend and a hero.”

She said her son has inspired and touched the lives of many.

“Proud ako sa kanya kasi lahat ng tao sa mundo na-touch niya,” she said.

She said she is thankful for the thousands of people, from all walks of life, who continue to support them.

He said their presence and even their support to her son has made them strong all throughout their ordeal.

“Utang na loob namin sa mga followers niya yung natupad ni Jam ang pangarap niya,” she said.

On March 4, Jam succumbed to stage 4 lung cancer after he went on critical condition. He was 28.

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