Muelmar, with a nephew
Eighteen year old Muelmar "Toto" Magallanes, a construction worker, sacrificed his life during the wrath of tropical storm Ondoy to save more than thirty people from being swept away by the mighty torrent during the worst deluge in Philippine history.
Now, Toto lies dead in a white coffin in the public gymnasium of Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City. The people he saved were all there standing at rigid attention around his coffin, all eternally grateful to the boy who saved their lives.
Says the teary-eyed Nila Milan one of those saved by Toto, "I shall forever be grateful to him because he saved me and my mother from drowning. It was 2 o'clock (in the afternoon) and the nearby river was rapidly reaching our neighborhood. There was no time to evacuate, it happened so fast. The water submerged our house in just minutes. I thought that we will die there. Then this boy suddenly appeared to our rescue and pulled us from the flood".
Menchie Penalosa and her baby also survived the terrible ordeal of September 26 because of Toto's heroic effort. As the waters rapidly reached her house, she quickly climbed to the roof carrying her baby. "But it all happened too fast. As soon as we reached the roof, our house collapsed and the flood swept me and my child. Then I felt a hand pull us from sinking. It was Toto's. He saved us into higher ground".
Earlier Saturday morning, with non-stop rains and raging flash flood, Toto together with his father, Mang Samuel, and older brother Joefran, decided to evacuate the whole family from their house near the river in Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City. They fastened ropes around Toto's mother Aling Maria Luz and the little siblings. Together, they waded in deepening flood as the waters reached human levels. With his family in tow and safe, Toto decided to go back to the neighborhood and rescued the people pleading for help.
The rain grew stronger by the hour, and as the flood deepened, the torrent became mightier. In a few minutes, all houses were submerged. In the afternoon, no houses can be found in the neighborhood. It was a deluge, with people crying for help while clinging to whatever solid thing that they can hold on to. Little children and mothers were being swept by the flood*.
Though a powerful swimmer, Toto became exhausted, but he kept coming back into the deepening flood to rescue people. After saving a mother and a baby girl from the raging flood, Toto came back to save more people. But suddenly a solid wall of concrete collapsed that instantly killed him. His lifeless body was swept by the raging torrent.
Toto's family didn't know what happened until the early morning hours of the following day. All night long, they were waiting for Toto to return. Toto's mother Aling Maria Luz: "I was really worried that something might happen to him. Although I know he was a good swimmer, yet there is something in my heart that I cannot explain. I thought that I'd never see him again".
Mang Samuel: "The flood was really very deep and I became very worried about Toto. I shouted to him to save himself, because he already saved many people. But he kept on rescuing, and of course, I couldn't really stop him, but deep inside I was very very worried".
The Magallanes family spent the whole night of stormy Saturday in the Barangay Evacuation Center, keeping vigil on Toto's return. Aling Maria Luz says: "We didn't sleep all night. My eyes peered into the stormy darkness trying to figure out the arrival of my son. But he never came back".
The news came the following morning. As the flood receded, the rescue team found Toto's lifeless body in a heap of debris left by the storm. His face and body bore large bruises. They wrapped Toto's body in a sheet of cloth and a neighbor identified it. Afterwards, they brought the body to Toto's family. It was ten in the morning when Mang Samuel and Aling Maria Luz heard the news.
Aling Maria Luz: "At first, the people were saying that Toto was already found. But I couldn't be sure if they found him alive or was he dead already? Then something suddenly struck me. I felt that Toto was already dead... and I then suddenly felt that all the heavens had crashed on me".
Meanwhile, all the others in the family were hoping that Toto would still be alive. They disregarded the rumors that Toto was already dead. But the denial was bound to be short-lived. In a moment, the rescuers came with a heap bundle, wrapped in a sheet. It was Toto's lifeless body. Toto, the heroic boy who saved numerous lives, had sacrificed his own life. He was dead.
"I felt like I wanted to die, too." laments Aling Maria Luz, weeping."He's my son. Always helpful and very thoughtful. Why did he have to die? I should have died, not him."
Suddenly, a strange lady hugged Aling Maria Luz, weeping with her. The lady was one of those anonymous people whom her son had saved during the nightmarish night of the disaster. Then came some more people, all saved by Toto. They are making a pilgrimage to their valiant hero while he lays there cold and dead, wrapped in a mantle of white cloth, the heroic boy who laid down his life for his neighbors.
Now, Toto lies dead in a white coffin in the public gymnasium of Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City. The people he saved were all there standing at rigid attention around his coffin, all eternally grateful to the boy who saved their lives.
Says the teary-eyed Nila Milan one of those saved by Toto, "I shall forever be grateful to him because he saved me and my mother from drowning. It was 2 o'clock (in the afternoon) and the nearby river was rapidly reaching our neighborhood. There was no time to evacuate, it happened so fast. The water submerged our house in just minutes. I thought that we will die there. Then this boy suddenly appeared to our rescue and pulled us from the flood".
Menchie Penalosa and her baby also survived the terrible ordeal of September 26 because of Toto's heroic effort. As the waters rapidly reached her house, she quickly climbed to the roof carrying her baby. "But it all happened too fast. As soon as we reached the roof, our house collapsed and the flood swept me and my child. Then I felt a hand pull us from sinking. It was Toto's. He saved us into higher ground".
Earlier Saturday morning, with non-stop rains and raging flash flood, Toto together with his father, Mang Samuel, and older brother Joefran, decided to evacuate the whole family from their house near the river in Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City. They fastened ropes around Toto's mother Aling Maria Luz and the little siblings. Together, they waded in deepening flood as the waters reached human levels. With his family in tow and safe, Toto decided to go back to the neighborhood and rescued the people pleading for help.
The rain grew stronger by the hour, and as the flood deepened, the torrent became mightier. In a few minutes, all houses were submerged. In the afternoon, no houses can be found in the neighborhood. It was a deluge, with people crying for help while clinging to whatever solid thing that they can hold on to. Little children and mothers were being swept by the flood*.
Though a powerful swimmer, Toto became exhausted, but he kept coming back into the deepening flood to rescue people. After saving a mother and a baby girl from the raging flood, Toto came back to save more people. But suddenly a solid wall of concrete collapsed that instantly killed him. His lifeless body was swept by the raging torrent.
Toto's family didn't know what happened until the early morning hours of the following day. All night long, they were waiting for Toto to return. Toto's mother Aling Maria Luz: "I was really worried that something might happen to him. Although I know he was a good swimmer, yet there is something in my heart that I cannot explain. I thought that I'd never see him again".
Mang Samuel: "The flood was really very deep and I became very worried about Toto. I shouted to him to save himself, because he already saved many people. But he kept on rescuing, and of course, I couldn't really stop him, but deep inside I was very very worried".
The Magallanes family spent the whole night of stormy Saturday in the Barangay Evacuation Center, keeping vigil on Toto's return. Aling Maria Luz says: "We didn't sleep all night. My eyes peered into the stormy darkness trying to figure out the arrival of my son. But he never came back".
The news came the following morning. As the flood receded, the rescue team found Toto's lifeless body in a heap of debris left by the storm. His face and body bore large bruises. They wrapped Toto's body in a sheet of cloth and a neighbor identified it. Afterwards, they brought the body to Toto's family. It was ten in the morning when Mang Samuel and Aling Maria Luz heard the news.
Aling Maria Luz: "At first, the people were saying that Toto was already found. But I couldn't be sure if they found him alive or was he dead already? Then something suddenly struck me. I felt that Toto was already dead... and I then suddenly felt that all the heavens had crashed on me".
Meanwhile, all the others in the family were hoping that Toto would still be alive. They disregarded the rumors that Toto was already dead. But the denial was bound to be short-lived. In a moment, the rescuers came with a heap bundle, wrapped in a sheet. It was Toto's lifeless body. Toto, the heroic boy who saved numerous lives, had sacrificed his own life. He was dead.
"I felt like I wanted to die, too." laments Aling Maria Luz, weeping."He's my son. Always helpful and very thoughtful. Why did he have to die? I should have died, not him."
Suddenly, a strange lady hugged Aling Maria Luz, weeping with her. The lady was one of those anonymous people whom her son had saved during the nightmarish night of the disaster. Then came some more people, all saved by Toto. They are making a pilgrimage to their valiant hero while he lays there cold and dead, wrapped in a mantle of white cloth, the heroic boy who laid down his life for his neighbors.
Aling Maria Luz Magallanes, 53, mother of Muelmar "Toto" Magallanes
Former President Joseph Estrada pays tribute to the heroic boy
Muelmar "Toto" Magallanes
*More than 38 people, mostly children, drowned during the raging flood in Barangay Bagong Silangan. Muelmar saved more than thirty women and children (as well as some older men), from drowning.
18 comments:
I get teary-eyed reading this piece. What a wonderful post to highlight the boy's heroism. He did a lot more good in his short life than most of us will ever in our entire life. May He rest in peace.
A true hero... uplifting but sad story at the same time.
Dennis... honestly... you should become a (photo)journalist.
Your series are socially relevant, well researched and interesting.
Good work my friend. Keep going !
He was indeed a true hero I got teary eyed too reading your story. I can't imagine how painful it is for his parents to see their son dead after saving lives of others. Great job Dennis once again thanks for sharing your photos and the stories behind them.
The word "hero" have been cheapened of late, I'm glad Muelmar gave it a new meaning unintentionally. May we have more of him.
Thanks Dennis for bringing his deeds to our attention. Can you do a follow-up on Muelmar and his family?
Thank you for sharing the story of a real hero.
I have first heard about his heroism on TV Patrol World, and I me and my wife were in tears that he has to sacrifice his own life in saving others.
During the height of the calamity, heroes were born like Muelmar Magallanes; as well as fools who are criminally negligent for not taking responsibility, for their inaction and poor disaster management which have put the lives of thousands of Filipinos stranded at various points of Rizal towns and Metropolis.
saved thirty people?! wow! we only helped our tita and a few people and we were so stressed... i know how challenging it is.
hope he'll forever be remembered for this great heroic act.
same with Sards and Maria, i got teary eyed with this post. the family must be in great pain though they should be proud for raising a son like him that although his life was short-lived it was meaningful.
thanks for sharing his story!
Masuwerte itong si Toto, sigurado ang kanyang resurrection pagkatapos ng Armageddon.
i hope his mother is comforted by the fact that Toto didn't die in vain.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
I agree with Sidney. He's a true hero. If we only we have politicians that may serve selflessly for others. His is a good example to be followed...
Toto Muelmar, for me, is the face of Pinoy heroism amidst Ondoy's wrath. Thank you for this post, Dennis.
And thank you too for continually bringing us heartwarming photos and stories of Filipino heroes and survivors. Ilan na nga ba sa mga tauhan ng kwento mo ang laging sumisiksik sa isip ko? Madami. Like that father and daughter who you found begging in Quiapo for transport fares so they can go home. Or the Olympiad swimmers in Quipo bridge. And now Toto's story.
Congrats sa PBA awards mo. You deserve them all!
fallen hero but he will live forever in the hearts of those he saved.
May God Bless him, what a hero he is! I've watched the news here in the US about Ondoy and my heart goes out to everyone over there.
a hero for risking his own life to save others. a rare gem. all of it is kind of sad, too, though.
Dennis,
The kid was a TRUE SAINT. Sacrificing his own life, so that others may live.THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL! He should be canonized.
Auggie
nice article Dennis. would you know the exact address of his family? would like to personally congratulate and condole with his family.
I feel the pain. He died too young but lived a short and very meaningful life. When I read his story at the height of Ondoy, I shed tears of joy and awe that from nowhere, a young man gave his everything --- all his strength and nay, his life to save strangers from the raging waters. Right there and then, I considered Muelmar as one of my heroes for in the real sense, "he gave up his life so that others may life!"
Had Muelmar survived, when he stands side by side with the rich and the famous and the powerful, without wasting a second, I give him a snap salute telling him that he is a hero.
Heroes don't die. They live forever!
I was very touched about what he did. He truly is a modern day hero. He should be an example to each and every one of us that we should not be selfish and help those people in need even if it costs our lives
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