ACTOR Coco Martin visited the wake of his former co-star in previous films on Monday, February 25.
Coco Martin sent a wreath of flowers to the wake of his former co-star Kristoffer King in Rizal Funeral Homes, Pasay City, on Monday morning. Martin and King both starred in director Brilliante Mendoza’s films Masahista (2005) and Serbis (2008).
According to King’s widow, Joan “Nikki” Alegre Reyes, she was sleeping when someone told her that Martin sent flowers to her husband’s wake.
“Natutulog kasi ako sa kuwarto... mga one hour pa lang ang tulog ko. Bandang 7 to 8 a.m., ginising ako. Hinahanap daw ako. ‘Ate, may naghahanap sa’yo. Nagbigay ng bulaklak si Coco.’ Nagmadali ako. Nakita ko, pangalan niya. Nabuhayan ako ng loob,” she stated in an interview with PEP.ph.
Moreover, she wasn’t expecting Martin to visit the wake due to his tight schedule but around 10 p.m. of same day, Martin came together with Mendoza. They paid their respects to their fellow actor and former employee.
The two stayed for some time at the wake. Martin engaged in a conversation with Reyes and entertained those who wanted to take photos with him. Martin and Mendoza left the wake around 11 p.m.
Afterwards, PEP got to interview Reyes again and found out that she was being helped by the actor in the expenses of his late husband’s death.
She really wasn’t expecting Martin and Mendoza to visit due to their individual schedules.
“Nang dumating siya kanina, ‘Wow...parang...ano ba ito? Inutusan ba ito ng Diyos?’ Dumating siya, napaiyak ako. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. Tuwang-tuwa ako...andito siya sa harap ng kabaong ng asawa ko,” she said.
Reyes said that she was asked by Martin on how the actor died, the expenses of her husband’s death, and Martin promising to provide financial assistance to the family.
”Tinatanong na niya ako, ‘Magkano lahat ang babayaran? Ano ang nangyari? Bakit namatay siya? Bakit biglaan?’ Sinabi ko naman lahat-lahat sa kanya. Tapos, sabi niya sa akin, ‘Sige, sagot ko na lahat,’” she said.
According to her, it was like a huge thorn in her heart was removed.
On February 27, Reyes can get her husband’s death certificate in the Adventist Medical Center Manila in Pasay City. (Von Daniel R. Plasencia, USC intern)