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Thursday, March 16, 2006
Teenage 'helper' marries retired Air Force man
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
CALL it destiny.
This was what happened to a 46-year-old former member of the American Airforce who married an 18-year-old lass from Talogtog, Murcia in Negros Occidental. However, their relationship wasn't a product of a long-distance love affair but a product of fate.
This as American Danny Evans, a widower, fell victim to a set-up made by Bacoleña whom he trusted and supported financially, only to find out later he was only used like a money generating machine.
His current wife, Wilma Ponte, came to his aid and rescued him from falling into a depression.
Evans, who owns a helicopter in the state of West Virginia, USA, revealed that in January last year he met a Bacoleña through Internet chat. He said he fell in love with the woman after constant communication.
He said he used to deposit money in the woman's bank account in the Philippines and sometimes through money transfer service.
He later proposed marriage to the woman in July last year to which the woman had accepted.
In his joy he booked the next flight to the Philippines to meet personally his "Juliet".
He rented a unit in Bacolod upon his arrival and set a period to met his virtual girlfriend.
However, even before he could contain his joy, Evans became frustrated when his chatmate-girlfriend did not show up in the place where they were supposed to meet.
Later, when they chatted again through the nternet, the woman revealed that she has a husband and they have three kids.
Shocked, he said it was though the whole world fell on him.
Depression sank in and he locked himself in his room and refused to talk to anyone.
One day, urged by a strange entity he went out of his room. There, something caught his eye outside his window to which he could not ignore. A woman was sweeping the floor outside the unit adjacent to his place. At that instant he was smitten by the woman whom he later knew was Wilma Ponte, a housemaid of the occupants next door.
Evans revealed that it was love at first sight. The next day he started calling Wilma and courted her.
They went steady weeks after.
Last week, Evans decided to visit Ponte's house, which is situated at the middle of a bamboo plantation in Talogtog, Murcia.
He said he fell pity upon seeing her family's situation. He then asked Wilma to marry him.
Evans had asked Wilma's parents for her hand for marriage to which they readily accepted.
Plans however were not hatched yet.
Their first date was in Mambukal Resort.
Evans was impressed with the resort and proposed to Wilma to hold their marriage there.
Wilma at first refused. The reason was: Evans wanted a unique wedding - that they drop from a plane and make their vow while suspended in the air - a parachute wedding!
Wilma said the idea troubled her and she rather forego with the idea. It was not the kind of wedding she had imagined.
But Evans was persistent and made a decision to marry his bride the soonest time possible - this a garden wedding at the Mambukal Grotto cropped up.
With only four days of preparation, some of the Mambukal staff had volunteered to help them.
Jean Maghopoy volunteered to buy for the wedding giveaways, Ellain Vasquez lent her wedding headdress and Buddy MalaLa volunteered as emcee in the ceremony. The Golden Tables Restaurant in Bacolod was then requested to provide the catering for 60 persons.
The wedding was held Friday last week with a pastor from Marathana Baptist Church in Murcia as officiating minister.
Evans was a knight in shining armor in his Barong Tagalog and Wilma, looking like a blooming flower, was magnificent in her white wedding gown.
Standing as sponsors were the bride's 16 relatives.
Like any other wedding the couple had a wedding cake but the staff had failed to purchase wine for the ceremonial wine drinking. The staff, acting like true-blooded rescue team, instead used a cola to serve as wine. It generated a generous laugh from the guests but the couple, undaunted and in love, did not mind. Love was what mattered most to them.
The couple is still in a four-day honeymoon at the resort.
Evans said he will bring Wilma with him to his home in West Virginia.
(March 16, 2006 issue)
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