His Lola Pawned All Her Jewelry. Edward Bought Them All Back

Some boys grow up dreaming of trophies. Edward Dapadap grew up dreaming of buying back his grandmother’s jewelry.

“Magmula noong bata ako, siya na yung katabi kong matulog hanggang sa nag high school ako,” Edward says. “Ganoon talaga kami ka-close ng Lola Lucy ko.”

She was there for everything: The nights he got sick, the mornings she’d make him breakfast before school. When he started playing Mobile Legends, she didn’t understand it. To her, it was just a game that took up too much time. To him, it was the beginning of a dream.

“Nililigawan ko siya,” Edward laughs. “Sumasali ako sa mga small pocket tournaments sa Smart Play. Binibigyan ko siya. Mga 80 percent ng mga prize winnings ko, binibigay ko sa kanya,” Edward told ALL-STAR. 

It was his way of winning her approval and her blessing. “Nakikita ko rin kasi yung everyday life niya, deserve naman niya iyon,” he says. “Sa akin, wala naman akong masyadong iniisip noon. Naglalaro lang ako, kumakain ako three times a day, nakakaligo ako. Masaya na.”

When his grandmother finally saw him win, her reaction was disbelief mixed with joy. “Sino ba namang mag-iisip na maglalaro ka tapos kikita ka ng P5,000 sa isang araw?” Edward says. “Nagugulat siya at natutuwa siya sa akin. Proud na proud siya.”

But the story doesn’t end there.

Back when Edward was young, he was often sick. His grandmother pawned all her jewelry just to pay for his hospital bills. Years later, in 2019, he won the Siklab Saya tournament and P500,000 in prizes, P80,000 of which went to him.

“Hindi ko maalala kung lahat ibinigay ko sa kanya,” he admits. “Ang dami niya kasing naka-sangla na alahas.”

He used his prize money to buy them back,  piece by piece.

In buying back all her jewelry, Edward was redeeming the years she spent worrying over him, the nights she stayed awake at his bedside, the faith she held silently when he told her he wanted to be a gamer.

“Nakuha ko yung mga nasangla niya,” Edward says. “At doon ako naging proud sa sarili ko.”

He can’t quite explain the look on her face when he returned the jewelry. “Sobrang hindi ko ma-explain,” he says softly. “Kasi priceless yun.”

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