|
Monday, March 13, 2006
Rudy Fernandez: An ordinary man with an extraordinary heart
By Ramon C. Salvilla
"I DON'T consider myself as a celebrity. I'm just an ordinary sportsman," Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition ex-housemate Rudy Fernandez (not the action star) told Sun.Star Iloilo.
Despite his disability, Tatay Rudy has proven that there is life after that incident in 1978 when a bomb explosion in Alegro Cinema caused injury on his right left.
"I never thought of it as a hindrance. I am a family man and I needed to move on and work hard," he said.
Fernandez's unbreakable spirit was also witnessed in the PBB show where he lived with housemates from different worlds --- show business, sports, music and fashion.
Magic
"Joining PBB is a dream come true. Parang magic," Tatay Rudy admits.
"I heard there were four of us Ilonggos as contenders and I was lucky enough to be chosen. Imagine, out of 24,000 aspirants who auditioned," he said.
"It was Ms. Desiree Bretaña, regional marketing manager of ABS-CBN who recommended me. She got my name from the January 1996 issue of Readers Digest (Asian edition) where I was featured as an Asian sports hero," he added.
Difficulty
"In my first week in the Big Brother house, I found it hard to mingle with the housemates because the others were 'plastic.' Siempre, we are in a reality show, di pwede maipakita kung ano ka sa labas dahil my live telecast. This is a contest kaya lahat gusto kaawaan para makuha ang sympathy ng mga tao," he revealed.
Great experience
"Being part of the PBB Celebrity Edition was a great experience. I learned a lot from living with different personalities inside the Big Brother house. I learned to adjust with the younger ones. It also developed my personality because I learned how to dance, sing, compose a song and host", he said.
He admitted that in a short time, he got closer to Gretchen and Rico.
"Being the oldest of the group, they considered me as their father. Wala akong nakitang bad side," he added.
Even if he was evicted, Fernandez won several items like the handycam and laptop computer.
Courtesy call
Last week, he paid a courtesy call to the office of Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr. and visited his high school Alma Mater, Good Shepherds Fold Academy in Buenavista, Guimaras and Western Institute of Technology (WIT).
He gave P50,000 to Good Shepherds Fold Academy.
He, along with members of the media, visited the Iloilo Sports Complex and there he found his name being included in the Ilonggo Achievers Gallery.
To be included in such gallery, one has to earn gold medals.
Fernandez bagged gold in the 10km one-leg race in Hong Kong in 1999, 2002, 2003, Singapore in 2004 and Subic, Zambales in 2004.
Simple life
Fernandez is a licensed secondary teacher who worked as personnel clerk at the WIT.
He's married to Melba and they have three children -- Mark Spitz, Fritz and Ritz.
(March 13, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here.
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
