Actor Elijah Canlas was emotional delivering a message during his 17-year-old brother JM Canlas' interment.
As seen in a video uploaded on social media, Elijah couldn't help but burst into tears talking about his brother.
“Alam kong marami pong tanong, marami po tayong tanong kung bakit, kung paano, kung ano. Pero gusto ko lang po ipaalam na he's been battling with this for a while now and he fought a good fight," he said, referring to JM's mental health struggles.
According to Elijah, he, himself, once battled with depression and his late younger brother was there for him.
"He's always there to make me laugh, he's always there to cheer me up," he said.
“Sabi nga po ni Daddy kanina, nakilala natin siya bilang masayahin, makulit, may facade na ewan. Pero mabigat na po talaga yung kinakarga niya," he reiterated. “Kaya kahit siya na po mismo nagsabi na, he would like all of us to find solace in the fact that he’s in peace right now. Kaya magpasalamat po tayo doon. Ipagdasal po natin si JM.”
Elijah also stressed that having such a struggle is not easy.
“Alam ko rin po na marami ngang hindi naniniwala, maraming kumukuwestiyon kung ano po ba ang mental health. Kung totoo ba yan na pinapagpag lang yan, mag-joke lang or whatever, o itawa mo lang yan. Hindi po siya ganun kasimple," he said.
"Ako na po ang nagsasabi, matagal nga pong lumaban itong si JM. Sobrang tagal po niya lumaban at ilang beses po namin siyang naligtas," he revealed. “We got to talk about it, we were there for him, we would call, he would knock our doors, talk to his friends.”
Elijah hopes that people will be more aware of mental health issues.
“Kaya hinihiling ko rin po na huwag po nating maliitin yung sakit na ito. I-check po natin yung isa’t isa, no matter what age, no matter what... o kung ano man yan," he maintained. “I-check po natin ang isa’t isa at maging mabuti po tayo sa isa’t isa."
“Si JM, ayaw po niya na napagsasabihan, e, very short po yung patience niya. Ayaw po niya napagsasabihan, mapagalitan. Ayaw po niya ng away. Gusto po niya lagi na masaya. Kaya gusto rin po naming i-celebrate. I-celebrate po natin yung buhay niya, ipagdasal po natin siya. Alam ko pong masaya siya na nandito tayong lahat.”