Typhoon Sendong, said to be the deadliest cyclone to ever hit Cagayan de Oro, ravaged the city in 2011. The entire community was shaken, properties were reduced to rumble, and dreams were shattered. Countless people were swept away by the infernal flood waters, while numerous lives were lost in the process. Two of the people whose lives were changed forever on that fateful day were Gary and Bevelyn.
Til Death Do Us Part – one of the most overly-used wedding vows which meaning has now sadly began to erode. But for these Sendong survivors, this very phrase was what kept them alive up to this very day.
They lost their house and belongings. She lost her father. They were washed out, floating helplessly. They were tired, cold, hungry, and barely had any will to live. Most people would think that giving up is the only option left. But while Gary and Bevelyn were fighting for their lives, trying to latch themselves onto whatever floating remnant they could find, he kept telling her “Don’t let go … just hold on … till death do us part.”
Four bridges and a day after, they were found and rescued in Alubijid, almost 30 kilometers away from Cagayan de Oro. And while they lost everything in the flood, they gained something that they would cherish for the rest of their lives – each other. It was truly a triumph of the human spirit. But above all, it was a triumph of love. Gary and Bevelyn lived to tell the story of the flood and prove that – in the end – love truly conquers all.
Now, as husband and wife, Gary and Bevelyn will wade through the wild and murky waters of life. But as long as they have each other – together, hand-in-hand – we know that they’ll come out victorious – each time, every time. Because at the end of the day, it is LOVE that kept these two survivors alive.
Wedding Planner: Aileen Marchy of Weddings and Events Republic
Videography: The Digital Eye
Photography: Dave Sabio
Host/Emcee: John D Pro Voice
HMUA: Ardelon Bernaldez