Rhelyn Harder
- Joemar Kenik Mangkok finished his college despite having difficult body conditions
- With the use of a wheelchair with someone carrying an oxygen tank, he was able to receive his diploma
- Joemar’s determination to finish college and aim of passing the board exam so he can be a teacher should inspire a lot of students
Determination is a characteristic that a person should possess to continue achieving his dream. Like a student from Southern Mindanao Institute of Technology Inc. (SMIT) who finished his college despite having difficult body conditions.
His sister Lyn Mangkok Ayob could not help but share his brother Joemar Kenik Mangkok’s graduation photos on her Facebook account, because of something that Joemar and her family had always dreamed about.
Joemar struggles to breathe and could barely move his own, due to rheumatic heart. With the use of wheelchair with someone carrying an oxygen tank, he was able to receive his diploma as he graduated from Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, Major in Mathematics.
On his sister’s post, she used #LABANPUSO referring to Joemar’s determination to finish college and aim of passing the board exam, so he can be a teacher that would inspire a lot of students.
Joemar represented his school and the district many times, but when he reached college he become sickly, and had to quit several times but that does not stop him to continue his studies even he stays in the hospital.
https://www.facebook.com/lyn.ayob.9/posts/2264065457167129
“He studied when he was at the hospital and that’s even where he finished some of his projects. But he didn’t want to stop because our father told us our education was very important and it was the only thing he could give us,” Lyn shared.
The school allowed him to complete his course, even he spent most of his time in the hospital and now, at the age of 25, he is finally able to graduate.
Joemar finally fulfilled his dream of graduating from college and he would want to attend the graduation ceremony to receive his diploma as a result of his hard work. So, the family finds a way to let him achieve his dream.
After the ceremony, he had to rush back to the hospital and with all his excitement it took a toll on his weak body so he was rushed to the ICU. Though his condition continues to struggle, he is now one step forward to reach his dream of becoming a teacher. The next step is to take and pass the Teacher’s board exam.
A day after his story went viral among netizens, Joemar Kenik Mangkok, who fought rheumatic heart disease for five years, passed away on Wednesday, March 27.
Mangkok’s sister Lyn Mangkok-Ayob shared the sad news on her Facebook account: “Sa mga nagmamahal po sa aming kapatid na c JOEMAR KENIK MANGKOK pinapaabot po naming pamilya sa inyong lahat ang taos puso naming pasasalamat sa inyong kabutihan at tulong financial sa kay PRESIDENT FEDERICO S. SEÑERES ng SMIT, DEAN,at sa lahat ng mga STAFF at pati na ang kanyang mga kaklase at mga VERY ACTIVE INTERN ng SMIT mraming maraming salamat po..”
https://www.facebook.com/lyn.ayob.9/posts/2266331563607185
