'Love you now and forever': Wedding turns into funeral as groom dies of COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — "All the 'CONGRATULATIONS' turned to 'CONDOLENCES.???? (broken heart emoji)," Roxanne Geronimo Landicho wrote on her Facebook post on August 23.

Landicho made a moving tribute for her late brother, Ralph Waldo G. Landicho, who succumbed to COVID-19 days after he was supposed to get married.

The now viral video, which now has 12,000 shares and over 33,000 sad emojis, contained the happy moments of her brother and his fiancee, Raquel Panganiban, including the couple's romantic proposal and goofy prenup shoot. Raquel and Ralph were supposed to get  married last July 31 after more than four years of dating. He passed away on August 3.

They both came from overseas in June and went home to their native Tiaong in Quezon Province.

Raquel recounted how Ralph, who was a seafarer, was excited to get off the ship to prepare for their wedding, so he was unable to get a COVID-19 jab.

Raquel also detailed in a Manila Bulletin interview the days that followed, never anticipating that COVID-19 would strike Ralph about three days before their wedding.

Raquel also shared the harrowing experience of her fiance, including him finishing around 20 oxygen tanks in less than 24 hours. It was on the same day, August 3, that Ralph left her. He was cremated and his funeral was held on the same day.

In Roxanne's video tribute for her brother, clips of Raquel wearing a long white dress in front of an altar during his funeral and crying her heart out while holding his portrait was included.

"Totoo ang COVID-19.????Kelan ka maniniwala? Kelan ka mag iingat? Kelan mo aalagaan ang katawan mo? Kelan mo iisipin na mag ingat para sa sarili mo at para sa mga kapamilya mo? Ang akala namin na simula ng pagmamahalan na pang habang buhay, nanakawin lang pala ng pandemyang ito. ????

All the 'CONGRATULATIONS' turned to 'CONDOLENCES'.????," wrote Roxanne.

"Alam ko na mahal na mahal mo ako,at alam mo din na mahal na mahal kita. Di ko alam papaano ako. Hanggang dulo ng hininga ko mamahalin pa din kita. Walang papantay sayo! Samahan mo pa din ako sa lahat ng Pangarap natin. Nagpapakatatag ako para sa pamilya natin both sides. Isa kang mabuting Anak, Manugang, kuya, Pamangkin, Pinsan, Kaibigan, Katrabaho. Alam ko na mahal na mahal mo sila," Raquel said in a Facebook tribute.

"I love you now and forever! Go on my love!" she posted in a separate Facebook post.