Jennylyn Mercado looks back on difficult early days of raising son Jazz

Jennylyn Mercado looked back on the challenges she faced as a young mother when she welcomed her son, Jazz, at the age of 21.

In an interview with Preview, the Kapuso actress described that period as the hardest part of her life, as she had to balance motherhood with work while learning to stand on her own.

“I feel like that was the hardest part of my life,” Jennylyn said in a mix of Filipino and English.

Jennylyn had to leave Jazz behind and fly to the United States for work just a month after giving birth. She also had to figure out motherhood with a limited support system.

“I felt like I was forced to mature. And I had to learn to stand on my own two feet,” she said. “It was difficult not having anyone. But surprisingly, I managed.”

Looking back, Jennylyn said her experiences taught her that women can overcome challenges even when they have to face them on their own.

“It's okay to be on your own,” she said. “Women can make it on their own. We can overcome all the challenges that come our way.”

Her journey as a mother also came with learning to understand her son's needs. When Jazz was one year and three months old, he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

“I accepted it right away. There was no denial. I didn't dismiss it,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Jennylyn considers raising Jazz one of the most meaningful experiences of her life, saying her son has taught her many things and given her another reason to keep going.

“Jazz was given to me for a reason. And I believe that our children are the ones who choose their parents,” she said. “It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I learned so much, especially when I found out that Jazz had autism. That was one of the things that pushed me to keep fighting in life.”

Jazz is Jennylyn’s son with Patrick Garcia.

In September, Patrick gave an interview about his past issues with Jennylyn, saying he last saw his son in 2017, which was also the last time he gave child support. He also denied that he abandoned Jennylyn during her pregnancy.

Jennylyn declined to comment on the issue but asked the public to stop bashing Patrick's family and his daughter.

—Carby Rose Basina/CDC, GMA News