Wandering, wounded elderly woman who went viral online now back with family

The elderly woman who went viral online after she was spotted wandering around with her bandaged and wounded head has been reunited with her family. 

According to Mariz Umali’s report in “24 Oras” on Monday, the plight of the elderly woman was first posted online by a netizen who saw her in Pasay City.

The elderly woman mentioned that she was allegedly hit on the head.

Following the viral post, the elderly woman has been reunited with her son, who identified her as Marife Fernandez, 74. Marife has been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, which causes her to forget things. 

It turned out that she was not hit on the head but was hit by a motorcycle, hence the wounds on her head, face, and knees.

“Kasi nawala po ito nung August. January 2 po nasagasaan ng motor,” said Emmanuel Fernandez, her son.

(She went missing back in August. Then on January 2, she was hit by a motorcycle.) 

Marife recalled what really happened to her. She was walking somewhere in Antipolo City in the evening of January 2 when the incident happened.

“Dumaan kami…  Eskinita na, pumasok na yung motor… Ayun nanagasa,” she said. 

(We were passing through... It was an alleyway, a motorcycle entered... Then it hit me.)

The son said the motorcycle rider brought his mother to the hospital, but the elderly woman’s wounds were only bandaged.

Following the reunion, Marife was then brought to the Pasay City General Hospital where her wounds were stitched up. 

When asked if she wants to pursue charges against the rider, she responded: “’Wag na, walang-wala ‘yun.” 

(Don’t bother, he also has nothing.)

However, her son said otherwise: “Gusto ko po siya managot. Kasi napuruhan po tapos pinabayaan lang po sa ospital.” 

(I want to be held accountable. Because she was badly injured and abandoned at the hospital.) 

For those who want to extend help to Ms. Marife Fernandez, here is her e-wallet account number: 0956-825-2963. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA Integrated News