Philippine basketball

PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo’s mother Marites dies

JR Isaga

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PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo’s mother Marites dies

FAMILY'S PRIDE. June Mar Fajardo celebrates one of his MVP awards with parents Bonifacio and Marites.

PBA IMAGES

A self-confessed 'mama's boy,' PBA superstar June Mar Fajardo always held his parents in high regard

June Mar Fajardo’s triumphant return from injury to the PBA has been dealt a huge emotional blow as the Cebuano superstar’s mother Marites died on Thursday, August 12. She was 52.

SunStar Cebu and SuperBalita Cebu first reported the tragic development, with the PBA officially confirming the news involving the San Miguel star center.

Multiple current and former teammates have expressed their heartbreak over social media, including veteran guard Chris Ross.

Although Fajardo himself has not issued a statement on the matter, his official Facebook page has since changed its profile picture to a candle on a black background, a common image for mourning.

Fajardo, one of Philippine basketball’s greatest and most universally liked players, always held his parents in high regard, and his discipline on and off the court frequently spoke volumes of his upbringing.

The 31-year-old gentle giant, a self-confessed “mama’s boy,” never involved himself in any kind of on-court brawls on any stage, nor did he talk trash or play dirty no matter how high the stakes were.

Eto ‘yung parents ko, sila ‘yung dahilan kaya ako nandito, kaya nagpursige ako sa buhay,” Fajardo said during the Season 44 Leo Awards ceremony last March 8, 2020.

It was also one of the last public appearances of his mother before the pandemic lockdown began.

Di ako nahihiya sabihin na galing kami sa hirap, kaya nagpursige ako. Gusto ko lang naman mabigyan sila ng magandang buhay. Gusto ko maging stable ‘yung buhay nila, ‘yung wala silang iisipin.”

(My parents are the reason why I’m here, and why I persevered. I’m not ashamed to say we came from poverty, and that’s why I persevered. I just want to give them a good life. I want their lives to be stable, and not be troubled by anything.)

Fajardo is currently eligible for an unprecedented seventh straight MVP award, but understandably, it remains to be seen what he does with his immediate basketball future after the PBA break. – Rappler.com

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