OFW recovers after almost losing mobility due to elevator accident

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) now has his life back, albeit experiencing some discomfort, following months of treatment after the elevator he was supposed to ride in malfunctioned and caused him to fall three floors down.

“Currently, I’m still doing intermittent catheterization for bladder management. Still can’t pass urine normally. Isa po yun sa na-apektuhan due to spinal cord injury (It was one of those affected due to spinal injury),” said 30-year-old Jeane Patrick Almadovar, a 2015 graduate of sociology from the University of the Philippines (UP) in Los Baños, Laguna.

“May titanium rin po ako sa likod at sa right ankle. Pero ngayon, kaya ko na pong maglakad ng walang assisted foot orthoses. (I still have titanium on my back and right ankle. I can now walk without assisted foot orthoses),” he said.

Photo: Jeane Patrick Almadovar

The accident happened the night of November 2021 in Sharjah, an emirate bordering Dubai to the north. Almadovar, who was 27 at the time, was on his way home. 

“Pagkabukas po nung pinto ng lift, nag-enter ako. Hindi po pala tumaas yung lift. Nahulog po ako sa baba. Duon sa bubong ng lift car ako bumagsak. Buti nga po mga paa at likod lang po nadale. Yun nga po yung spinal cord ko sa L1 vertebra sa may bandang taas ng bewang; part po nuon ang na-bruise kaya po ako na-paralyze for some months,” said Almadovar.

(I entered when the elevator’s door opened. However, the elevator itself did not climb, so I instead fell down. I landed on the elevator’s roof. My feet and back were broken. My spinal cord around my waistline was bruised, which was why I was paralyzed for months.)

Almadovar said he “instantly could not move his leg." He was in a wheelchair from November 2021 to February 2022.  

“That period was the most difficult chapter of my life. Living with paralysis and being dependent on others led me to depression. I felt like all my dreams had been shattered. But by the grace of God, I was admitted to a rehabilitation hospital in January 2022, and by April 2022, I was discharged—able to walk again. I was one of the few spinal cord injury patients who miraculously regained mobility,” said Almadovar.

He said he had decided not to press charges against the building management or the elevator company. 

“Hindi ko na po idi-disclose yung mga details regarding po dito for confidential purposes. Pero hindi ko na po pinush yung demanda,” Almadovar said. 

(I will not disclose details due to confidential purposes, but I did not push for legal action anymore.)

Arrival

The second of six siblings, Almadovar arrived in the UAE in August 2015, brought by his parents, who at the time had been working in Sharjah for 20 years.

Due to financial challenges, he said, his parents decided to bring him to the UAE right after graduation to help him find work.

“As a fresh graduate with no work experience, I struggled to find a job aligned with my field. I came to the UAE on a visit visa, and, like many others striving for a better life, I accepted a job unrelated to my course,” he said.

In 2016, Almadovar started working as staff in Dubai, which involved singing at events, hosting parties, and “even helping with the cleanup afterwards.” 

After 11 months, his sibling referred him to their company, and in 2017, Almadovar began his career as a document controller at a contracting firm. In October 2021, he decided to resign to take supplementary education units in preparation for the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET).

Recovery

“Upon recovery, I continued my supplementary units and took the LETS in September 2023, where I passed with a rating of 90. Today, I am working as a document controller in the Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance Department (GRMCD) of the executive office at Sharjah Asset Management (SAM), the investment arm of the Sharjah Finance Department (SFD),” Almadovar said.

Outside work, he serves as a volunteer lecturer for the Filipino International Teachers’ Society (FITS) UAE Chapter, helping aspiring educators prepare for the Special Licensure Exam for Teachers (SLET). He is also a youth coordinator and worship leader at a Christian church in Sharjah.

In June 2025, Almadovar received the Gawad Pinoy Top 10 Outstanding Overseas Filipino Award in the UAE.

“Looking back, I never imagined that life could be even more meaningful after nearly losing my mobility and independence. Though challenges remain, I am grateful,” he said.  —VBL, GMA Integrated News