"I can't wait to give her the love that I wasn't able to make her feel for 13 years."
Joshua Villanueva, a player from the Ateneo Blue Eagles volleyball team, had his wish granted before Mother's Day: to be reunited with his mom, Cherry Ann, whom he hasn't seen for over 13 years.
Growing up without a mother on his side, Josh kept himself busy and preoccupied by playing different sports where he excelled in—it helped him ease the loneliness he felt whenever he missed his mom.
Josh admitted that growing up with a broken family wasn't easy at all. Because of a misunderstaning, his dad brought him to the Philippines when he was 7 years old, leaving his mother in the United States.
"It was tough at first because I would always get jealous of the other kids or my friends who had their moms with them."
Josh can still recall his fondest memories with his mom. According to him, his mom introduced him to sports. She was his very first swimming instructor and they would usually bond doing lessons at night. He also remembered that she would lull him to sleep by reading his favorite bedtime stories to him.
Both were passionate about sports and it is through the passion they share that they were brought back together. Of these, it was volleyball that made a big impact in Josh's life.
"Volleyball has opened a lot of doors for me. It has helped me in different fields especially when it comes to my health and my studies. It has also been the reason for me to get to know a lot of people and most importantly for me to be able to speak with my mom again," explained Josh.
The young athlete almost lost hope. Until one day, Joshua's mother, now based in the U.S., saw him playing during the UAAP season through The Filipino Channel (TFC).
Cherry Ann, who at that time was undergoing numerous chemotherapy sessions for breast cancer, immediately got in touch with Josh. From then on, they have been constantly communicating with each other.
Josh is looking forward to finally seeing his mom again this coming July in California to spend some time with her.
Asked where in the Philippines he plans to take his mom on a vacation, Josh only had two beautiful destinations in mind: Boracay and Palawan.
"I would love to go to Palawan or Boracay for a week but it doesn't matter as long as I get to spend it with her," Josh excitedly answered.
In every tournament he plays in, Josh keeps in mind his mom's inspiring words.
"When I was a kid, my mom would always tell me to dream big and to always give it my best shot."
Josh is no longer looking back in anger at life despite everything that happened to them. And for Mother's Day, this is his message for his mom:
"I would just want to tell mom how much I love her and that I never did hate her for what happened to her and my dad. I would like to tell her that I miss her so much and that I can't wait to give her the love that I wasn't able to make her feel for 13 years."
Source: choosephilippines.com
