‘Keep moving forward’: ABSC prex remains positive despite health issues
by Vince Ferreras
Faculty of Arts and Letters Student Council (ABSC) President Reymark Simbulan expressed his gratitude to everyone who supported him while still recovering from multiple injuries after a bout with depression.
19-year-old Simbulan TomasinoWeb in an online interview that he learned a lot of things after the suicide attempt last June 28.
“After the incident, I could confidently say that I made a lot of realizations. One, is that you shouldn’t resort to such a drastic resolution because you’ll be leaving a lot of people behind. People who think, love, and care for you,” he said.
He added, “Second is that you shouldn’t underestimate the power of your friends’ support.”
Simbulan also promised everyone that he would “keep moving forward” to serve his fellow Artlets.
“And that’s precisely what I’m going to do, I’ll keep on moving forward because this incident happened for a reason. I may not know that right now, but I’m more than willing to find that reason in the Artlets Student Council.”
Simbulan suffered a severe spine injury, a broken hip, and a dislocated knee after jumping from the 17th floor of his condominium last month.
He recently undergone surgeries in his stomach and on his back, in which his spine was replaced by a metal.
“Right now I’m undergoing physical therapy to strengthen my arms and lower extremities. And am still recovering from the surgeries, thus I have my daily dose of pain relievers,” he said.
Despite his current health condition, Simbulan said in his statement yesterday that he wanted to continue his work in the student council.
“[M]y psychiatrist and I have already agreed that we will do everything to be able to enroll this upcoming semester [since] I myself wouldn’t want to leave my work in the [council].”
He also said that he would resign from his post if the doctors will prohbit him from continuing his studies due to his condition.
“In a possible worst-case scenario that I was not allowed by my doctors to continue my studies, I will file my resignation as early as possible so as to make time for the ABSC to have a proper transition,” the statement read.
