It’s nothing new to see June Mar Fajardo win the PBA Most Valuable Player award.
But his coronation on Sunday was a tad different.
The San Miguel star took the stage of the Season 47 Leo Awards all by his lonesome, his parents not with him unlike in the previous six rites.
“How I wish nandito ‘yung parents ko,” he said during the short presser moments after the awarding ceremony at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
(C) Peter Baltazar/Tiebreaker Times
It could be remembered that June Mar lost his mother, Marites, back in 2021 – a time when he was still recovering from a major leg injury.
That’s why he turned a bit emotional during his acceptance speech, wiping away his tears as he dedicated MVP award no. 7 to his late mom.
But he knows, too, that she’s up there beaming with pride with his latest feat.
The 33-year-old is proud, too, to have won the PBA’s highest individual award, especially after the challenges he faced in the past few years.
“Nung na-injure ako, nung nabali tibia ko, nag-cross talaga sa isip ko na baka ‘yun na ‘yung end ng career ko,” he recalled.
“Pero alam ko sa sarili ko, pwede pa ako maglaro.”
