
Four decades after the death of teen star Julie Vega, her older brother, Joseph, has finally spoken about the circumstances surrounding her passing, addressing stories that have long linked her death to alleged supernatural events.
In an interview on Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho's "Gabi ng Lagim," Joseph clarified the family's position on the actress' death, including reports of a mysterious phone call their mother supposedly received from Julie while she was confined in the hospital.
According to the program, the family had repeatedly declined interview requests over the years. Joseph explained that many of the inquiries tended to focus on the alleged paranormal incidents surrounding his sister rather than the actual circumstances of her illness.
Speculation about supernatural involvement began after Julie starred in a horror film in which her character was possessed by an evil entity. Some also claimed that strange occurrences had taken place at the location where the movie was shot.
Other accounts included an alleged phone call from Julie to her mother while the actress was already hospitalized. She reportedly called to say that she would soon be leaving. There were also claims that someone who helped take care of Julie's album heard a woman crying after the actress passed away.
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However, Joseph maintained that his younger sister died because of multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.
During the interview at his Quezon City office, he showed some of Julie's treasured belongings, including her FAMAS Awards, photographs, albums, Hello Kitty telephone, and the so-called "magic dress" she wore in the film Mga Mata ni Angelita.
Joseph firmly dismissed claims that something supernatural caused his sister's death.
“Although totoo na naririnig namin after noon na yung pinaggawan [shooting] meron yatang supernatural doon, pero nung nagkasakit siya wala namang manifestation.
"Kasi, sana kung lumutang siya sa kama nanginginig siya ng ganun. Wala namang ganun. Lahat talaga sa sakit eh,” Joseph explained.
He also recalled how quickly Julie's condition deteriorated before the family learned about her diagnosis.
“Masyado nang mabilis ang progress. Pero tinatanong namin bakit siya nagkaroon ng ganun? And then sa journal, we saw it na at risk yung mga bata kung hindi tama yung tulog. Shift work, they call it,” he said.
Joseph added that he has never experienced anything unusual when sleeping in Julie's former bedroom.
Nevertheless, he admitted that he could not explain the reported phone call their mother received from Julie while she was in the hospital. He said he was aware of the incident and believed that their family had experienced something beyond ordinary explanation.
“Nung tumawag siya sa bahay, alam ko 'yon. I cannot explain that. I believed in the experiences,” he shared.
“Sometimes things are manifested not only to the physical sense. Naniniwala ako na maaaring sa kagustuhan nyang makausap ang mommy [na] she wants to go, she managed to channel herself with the phone. Pero kung may spin na may mamaw doon para tumawag sa bahay, I don't think so. Not necessarily may kinalaman dun sa pinag-shootingan nila.”
What really happened during the filming of Julie's horror movie, and what did a paranormal investigator discover at the location? Find out more in the full report on "Gabi ng Lagim."