‘Til death do us part: The viral wedding video that brought us all to tears

"Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho" is a weekly news magazine show hosted by Jessica Soho, one of the most awarded broadcast journalists in the Philippines. For more information, follow the show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Of all the viral wedding videos on the internet these days, Rowden and Leizel’s tugged on netizens’ heartstrings — over six million YouTube viewers, to be exact. Theirs is a love story that is beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.

Rowden Go-Pangcoga and his girlfriend Leizel Lequigan met at a party in 2009. They were both fun-loving and they instantly clicked as friends.

Soon, their friendship blossomed into a deeper and more meaningful relationship. Then, two years later, Rowden and Leizel were blessed with a baby girl they named Zakiah.

In an interview with Jessica Soho at Fernwood Gardens on June 25, Leizel said it was Rowden’s innate kindness that made her really fall in love with him. “Mabait siya. Maasikaso siya sa akin, kahit sa pamilya niya,” she said.



Everything was perfect — they were even set to get married during Rowden’s 30th birthday on July 8 — until he was diagnosed with Stage IV liver cancer last May.

Apparently, fate had a different plan for the two. On June 10, Rowden and Leizel decided to get married in the hospital where he was confined. With only minimal preparation, everything fell unexpectedly into place. Ten hours later, Rowden peacefully passed away.
 
 

No losing hope

The situation was hard for Leizel and for his family — Rowden’s cancer was serious and had little chance of survival. But instead of losing hope, they stayed strong for Rowden. They did everything to make sure he’ll feel how loved he is.

“Never namin kinuwestiyon si God,” Hasset, Rowden’s brother, shared during the “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” interview.

On the day Leizel visited Rowden at the hospital and he saw her crying, he said they might need to do the wedding earlier than they planned it to be.

What was her reaction? “Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘oo, gagawin ko ‘yun... Ako na rin ang bibili ng singsing, ipapakita ko na lang sa ’yo.’”

A dream come true

With only less than 12 hours of preparation, the wedding turned out to be a beautiful one, filled with love and overflowing kindness from family, friends and even from the hospital staff.

“Nung kinakasal kasi kami parang ang saya-saya ko na natupad ‘yung pangarap naming dalawa,” Leizel reminisced.

Rowden was not in good shape anymore, but he displayed admirable strength during the ceremony which took place in an empty hall of Philippine General Hospital. “Parang pinilit niya talaga na makapagsalita,” she said.

Leizel never felt uncertain about the wedding. Since the start, she knew Rowden was the man she was destined to marry.

“Hindi ko inisip na mawawala siya,” Leizel added. “Hindi ko na inisip ‘yun, ang akin maging masaya siya. Kasi ‘yun ‘yung gusto namin, na makasal kami para din sa baby namin.”

Leizel and Rowden’s wedding video, which was taken by Isnap Creatives and uploaded by Hasset on YouTube, gained more than 5 million views in a span of one week.

Hasset said that they did not plan to make it viral nor expect that it would gain attention from all over the world. “‘Yung mga relatives kasi namin, gusto nila mapanood. Kumbaga, [para] lang talaga sa family and friends,” he explained.

“Proud na proud ako sa ’yo”

A few hours after the wedding, Rowden’s condition started to deteriorate. He was requesting for his respirator to be removed but kept telling Leizel that he was okay.

“Ayaw ko rin naman na nakikita siyang nahihirapan, nasasaktan, kasi masakit naman ‘yung nilagay na [respirator],” Leizel tearfully reminisced. “Awang-awa talaga kami sa kanya.”

She asked Rowden to give her a sign if he already wants to give up. After a while, he moved his hands and placed it at the back of his head as if telling her he needs to rest. He was unable to speak.

How were their last moments together? “Nakahawak pa ako sa kanya. Bago nga siya nawala, nakatitig pa siya sa akin nang matagal,” Leizel said.

Now, wherever she goes, Leizel brings Rowden’s urn. He’s physically gone, but his memories and the love they shared will always linger on.

“Alam ko nasa mabuting kamay ka na ngayon. Magkasama na kayo ng Panginoon. Ikamusta mo na lang ako sa Papa ko. Mahal na mahal kita, alam mo ‘yun. Proud na proud ako sa ’yo.” —CM, GMA News

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