King Gurtiza of the Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) men’s basketball team grew up without the physical presence of his parents, who are both working as overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) abroad.
This, according to the budding shooting guard, almost made him give up his hoops dreams. But it was also his family who helped him find his way back to basketball.
“My parents are OFWs and it was hard because I can't feel their care. Sometimes, I really do think of quitting basketball and my studies,” he shared on ‘Rise Up Stronger: The Road to NCAA Season 96’ on Tuesday.
“But I fought through it because I wanted to fulfill my dreams and my family’s.”
Gurtiza, a native of Cavite, is currently studying business management in EAC and basketball would be his way to repay his parents from all their sacrifices for their family.
The court general also shared how his late grandfather, who he fondly called as his ‘daddy’, inspired him to continue with his basketball dream despite life’s challenges.
“Daddy was the one who was by my side when I was growing up,” he recalled.
“He was my hero and my critic and that’s why I dedicated my games to him.”
Watch GMA Synergy's 'Rise Up Stronger: The Road to NCAA Season 96' every weekday (2:45 p.m.), Saturdays (4:30 p.m.), and Sundays (5:05 p.m.) on GTV.
—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News
