MORE and more personalities are earnestly seeking a little help from Coco Martin — not monetary but a part in his primetime teleserye Batang Quiapo.
It was Julius Babao in his Unplugged vlog interview who broached the idea that might help visually impaired former ramp model-now sportsman Gerry Gonzalo to earn a living through acting.
For starters, Gerry met a car crash in 1989 which had eventually caused him total loss of his vision.
Former ramp model Gerry Gonzalo lost his sight in a car crash in 1989. YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT/JULIUS BABAO UNPLUGGED
Terribly frazzled from a strenuous training in rowing (he was part of the country’s Dragon Boat team led by Richard Gomez), Gerry — on his way home to Antipolo City — drove his newly acquired secondhand wheels that rammed a steel Meralco post along Ortigas Extension.
His windshield completely damaged, Gerry — who managed to extricate himself from his car — felt blood oozing from his face. He thought it was because of the glass shards all over his face.
Thanks to a tricycle driver, who he has yet to meet to this day, he was brought to a close-by hospital.
It was moments later when Gerry had the biggest scare of his life — both his eyeballs got punctured.
While his left eye had gone totally blind, he had hoped the other one could still be saved through a series of surgeries.
Gerry, however, had finally given up when — after the 11th operation — not even a slight progress beckoned. It dawned on him that it was the life he was destined to live through.
But if it was any consolation, hadn’t his car rammed an electric post, it would sure have plunged into the river causing instant death.
Left with no other recourse, Gerry — despite his condition — kept himself busy with sports such as running and trekking.
All this time, where were Gerry’s showbiz friends Richard and John Estrada (who was his first runner-up in Bodyshots back in 1989)?
“I’d see Goma (Richard’s pet name) at the Ultra oval once in a while. He had helped me financially during that time,” Gerry says of the actor-politician who never misses catching up with him.
“John? (laughs) I’d rather not touch base with him, he seems to have a lot of problems to fix these days,” he states.
The world wasn’t exactly cruel to Gerry.
Inspite of his physical condition, he found a woman who’d truly and deeply love him for what and who he was — and wasn’t — Pia Pilapil.
Pia, daughter of veteran actress Pilar Pilapil — despite having been discouraged from pursuing a relationship with Gerry — had gone ahead the hell she cared.
Their romance — which had already screeched to a halt years ago — bore four children.
Gerry shares with Julius what he thought was the reason why Pia had fallen out of love.
“It’s probably because of the people around her. Yes, there was a third party involved but it had nothing to do with my condition,” Gerry stresses.
Since he has four children, isn’t he dependent on any one of them?
“To be honest, ever since I’ve lived an independent life. I was in school then at the DLSU when I entered modeling, and all I wanted was to help my mom raise my tuition fee. Despite my condition, as much as possible, relying on them would be the last thing I’d do.”
Did getting into showbiz cross his mind at one point since he was already entrenched in the modeling world?
“Actually, it was the late Douglas Quiajano (then manager of Richard and John) who wanted to handle my career. But then, I figured in an accident, so my supposed showbiz entry went kaput.”
Still waging a relentless battle in life, all that Gerry hopes to achieve now is to land a good-paying job that will tide him through rough, tough times.
“Right now, I’m considering two options: to work here or to follow my brother in Canada where I can be able to enjoy health care benefits.”
Gerry laments that there aren’t too many opportunities here for persons with disability (PWDs) like him.
“Not all visually impaired would want to end up as masseurs,” he reasons out.
It is at this juncture where Julius hatches the idea of Gerry trying acting this time, taking notice of his subject’s fine looks despite his age.
“Are you amenable in case Coco Martin casts you in his teleserye?” Julius asks.
“Why not if there awaits a role for me there?” Gerry says.
Refusing to be a deadbeat parent, he continues: “I simply don’t want to be a burden to my kids. Not because I’ve become like this means I need to depend on them!”
Paging Coco, you might want to Gerry to act a part in your primetime series.
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