A Master of the Game needs prayers

Beyond the Game 

A Master of the Game needs prayers

By Brian Yalung

The Philippine sports scene is not entirely about athletes. There are media personalities ranging from reporters, writers, and broadcasters who do their share.

The list of well-known personalities goes on and on. One name that easily stands out is William “Bill” Velasco.

Whether it be the PBA or international events where the country is participating, Bill has been there and done that. There is no doubt that he remains an icon in the sports journalism world and still has that fire burning from within.

Having the opportunity to work with him at a local TV station where he was one of the anchors, this writer admits that aside from being star-struck, pondering on how to get along with someone like Bill was a concern.

Surprisingly, the 59-year-old was easy to get along with and someone any sports buff could immediately get on the same page. It wasn’t hard to converse with him in our daily conversations about sports, exchanging ideas and theories on how to tell stories in any medium.

That all came to an end in February when Bill decided to move on. However, our communication remained, either through text or calls. After not hearing from him for quite some time, I was surprised to find out that he brought himself to the emergency room of a hospital in Manila last March 19.

A common friend informed me that Bill was having difficulty breathing since Sunday, March 17. Knowing how Bill was tough, he likely felt he could handle it before deciding to head to the hospital.

He tried calling me Tuesday night but I was unfortunately unable to answer my phone. I sent a text and waited for a response. He did so the following morning, informing me that he was being taken to intensive care because his heart rate was so high and his blood pressure was pretty low.

In his text, he added that doctors had to jumpstart his heart to make it beat properly and that he was under observation.

It would be the last time he would text. After that, I was informed that his heart was only 20% functioning and that he needed to undergo dialysis.

This Friday, March 22, I was surprised to see my phone ringing with the name Bill Velasco on the screen. When I answered, it was his partner, Karyl (Kei), on the other end.

She updated me on Bill’s condition and detailed to me how their medical bills were piling up. Karyl asked if I could help in spreading the word since they were in dire need of financial help to cover their medical bills since the veteran broadcaster and journalist continues to be under intensive care.

Kei sought the help of close friends to help spread the word that Bill needed help. A social media post was put up on Friday night and this was shared by colleagues and close friends.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=7467460886643447&set=a.542248039164801

The last update from Kei was that Bill had no blocked arteries and was responding well to dialysis. He was able to respond through writing with Karyl admitting that Bill was asking how long he had been in the hospital.

The good news is that Bill Velasco is living up to his name of being a fighter. However, this is a battle that will need plenty of prayers and help from colleagues and friends.