My father-in-law had no pension. I cared for him with all my heart for 12 years. With his last breath, he handed me a torn pillow and said, “For Maria.

Twelve Years of Trial
Those twelve years weren’t easy. I was young, often feeling tired and alone. When my husband was working in Manila, I was left alone to care for our little daughter and Tatay Ramón, who was already weak. I cooked, washed, and stayed up late at night monitoring his breathing.

Once, exhausted, I said to him:

“Father, I’m just your daughter-in-law… sometimes I feel a great weight on my chest.”

He just smiled gently and, with trembling hands, took mine:
“I know, daughter. That’s why I’m even more grateful. Without you, maybe I wouldn’t be here anymore.”

I’ll never forget those words. From then on, I promised myself to do everything possible to make his life more bearable. Every winter, I bought him a thick coat and a blanket. When his stomach hurt, I cooked him rice soup. When his feet hurt, I massaged them tenderly.