Father of papal visit volunteer who died in accident remembers Pope Francis

The father of a papal visit volunteer who died after a scaffolding accident due to bad weather when Pope Francis was in Tacloban in 2015 believes the Pope and his daughter will meet each other in heaven.

According to Oscar Oida's report on "24 Oras," Jun Padasas recalled the time Pope Francis met him and gave him strength a day after the incident took the life of his only daughter Kristal.

Padasas said that he had mixed feelings when he met the Pope but added that the meeting gave him strength while he mourned.

During their meeting, Pope Francis gave him rosaries, which now serve as a memory of their first and last encounter.

“Nalungkot ako. Akala ko nakita ko sa post ng... sa group chat namin. Totoo ba ito? May sumagot, totoo yan, nasa balita na. Pagbukas sa Facebook, ayun na. Kaya nagpost na ako ng profile ko na nandun si Pope Francis eh. Nalungkot talaga ako,” Padasas said.

(I was sad. I was skeptical at first when I saw a post on our group chat. When someone confirmed it and I saw it on Facebook, I uploaded a photo of Pope Francis to my profile. I was sad.)

As when he met the Pope in 2015, Padasas also has mixed feelings.

“Malungkot pero naging masaya kasi sabi ko nasa kamay na siya ng Diyos. Wala na siyang nararamdamang sakit. Dun paraiso na ang pupuntahan niya, wala nang mararamdamang sakit ng katawan,” Padasas said.

(I’m sad but also happy because he is now with the Lord. He is free from his sufferings. He will go to paradise, where he will no longer feel any pain.)

Padasas said the Pope and his daughter would meet.

“Magkita sila ng anak ko du'n. Yun nga kahapon eh, kinausap ko yung anak ko sa altar eh. Nagsindi ako ng kandila, sabi ko, ''Nak wala na si Pope Francis. Salubungin mo na lang diyan, gabayan mo papunta sa kaharian ng Diyos',” Padasas said.

(They will meet there. Yesterday, I talked to my daughter at the altar as I lit a candle. I told her to welcome Pope Francis and guide him to the Kingdom of God.) –Mariel Celine Serquiña/NB, GMA Integrated News