‘Tom Hanks’ returns on grateful X’mas visit
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — Remember Clark airport’s “Tom Hanks” who was stranded here for six months?
Last year,
The other day, Aryee, who was dubbed as Tom Hanks by airport employees for his fate similar to that of the
Aryee is now studying at the University of the
He also told his friends here more good news: He has been invited for a tryout in
“I’m feeling great and by God’s grace I’m now back to say ‘hi and ‘thank you’ to my friends, titos (uncles) and kuyas (elder brothers) in Clark for their support and help,” Aryee said, amid a warm welcome from his friends at the DMIA’s crash fire and rescue office where he had stayed and spent the last Christmas.
Aryee first arrived in the country on
Without any Singaporean immigration stamp on his passport, Immigration authorities at the DMIA could also not stamp Aryee’s passport, thus depriving him of any legal status in the country that led to his virtual detention at the airport here.
It was during his stay that he decided he even wanted to become a Filipino citizen. He earned friends, and the publicity created event by his unusual fate triggered sympathetic visits from Filipinos, including one offer of marriage to a Filipina.
With the help Filipino professional football players and former Bulacan Rep. Willie Villarama who were impressed with his football skills, however, Aryee was able to fly back to his native country early last January so that from there, he could facilitate his legal return back to the Philippines.
After spending a few weeks with his siblings, as they are already orphaned, Aryee came back, this time with all the required documents for his stay in the country where he was provided support by Filipino friends who had helped him in his immigration problems.
- Latest
- Trending