Ogie Diaz Recalls How They Did Everything So Their Miracle Baby Can Survive

• Perhaps only a mother’s love can rival that of a devoted father like Ogie Diaz.

  He is openly gay, but he also proves to be a faithful husband to Georgette and a devoted family man to their five children.

  In an exclusive interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), he recalled how his youngest daughter was born prematurely four years ago.

  It was a tough battle for Baby Meerah Khel who had to be in an incubator for four months, and there came a point when the child seemed to be far from recovering.

  But instead of losing hope, Ogie told the doctors that he’s willing to give up all his hard-earned investments just to pay for the child’s mounting hospital bills.

  “May isang time, nung nasa ospital, nung ilalabas yung anak ko, sabi nung isang doctor, ‘Sigurado ka bang kaya na idire-diretso natin anak mo? Kasi parang hindi 50-50, parang 60-40.’

  “Sabi ko, ‘Doc, gawin natin lahat ng paraan para mabuhay anak ko. Kahit na magbenta ako ng properties, Doc, okey lang ako.

  “‘Kahit maubos properties ko, mapatunayan ko lang sa anak ko kung gaano ko siya kamahal dahil pinaglaban ko siya.'”

  As early as that time, Ogie was desperate to show that he would do anything just so his newborn daughter can recover and live a happy life.

  “Sabi ko, ‘Ayokong pagdating ng araw na magkita kami sa Langit—kung ako ay mapupunta sa Langit—sasabihin niya sa akin, e, ‘Daddy, kaya ko naman, e. Kaya nga ako lumalaban, e. Ako naman ang hindi mo ipinaglaban. I-ginive up mo agad ako.’

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  “Ayokong susumbatan ako ng anak ko ng ganun pag nagkita kami sa langit.

  “Kaya sabi ko, ‘Gawin niyo ang lahat, Doc.'”

  Ogie didn’t even want any hospital discounts just to make sure that the doctors will do everything they can to cure his daughter.

  “Tapos sa totoo lang, sabi nung doktor, ‘Bibigyan na lang namin kayo ng discount sa doctors fee per day.’

  “Sabi ko, ‘Hindi po. Huwag. Kakayanin ko po. Gawin niyo po lahat. Singilin niyo ako sa tamang professional fee. Okéy lang ako.

  “‘Ayoko rin ho dini-discount yung kaya niyo gawin para sa anak ko para mabuhay siya. Gusto ko gawin niyo lahat kasi nagbayad naman ako nang tama.’ So yun.”

  

  Born on February 9, 2017, the preemie Baby Meerah only weighed 680 grams. But Ogie, his wife Georgette, and their four daughters stayed strong and optimistic as they waited for Baby Meerah’s recovery.

  PHOTO BY Facebook/Ogie Diaz

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  Making a pact with a blood donation foundation

  Ogie even went out of his way to find other people who can help save his daughter’s life.

  He narrated: “Itong Dugong Alay Dugtong Buhay, ito naman yung nag-supply ng dugo sa aking anak.

  “Na wala pa dapat five days old, kailangan masalinan ng dugo yung anak ko nung ipinanangak siyang premature.

  “Hindi sila pumalya sa akin magbigay ng dugo.

  “Sabi ko, ‘Makaraos lang kami ng bunso kong anak, iko-commit ko sarili ko sa Dugong Alay Dugtong Buhay.”

  Dugong Alay Dugtong Buhay is a non-government organization that organizes bloodletting events to provide immediate, safe, and free blood supply to hospital patients.

  When his daughter recovered, Ogie stayed true to his promise to be an active volunteer in the foundation.

  “Para na akong board member dun kaya andun ako lagi.

  “Nung April 3, yung pag, ‘Og, wala kami pagkain dito. Yung magdo-donate ng dugo walang pagkain.’

  “So ako magsu-supply ng pagkain nila for 200 to 300 people. Yung ganun. ‘Tapos nagdo-donate rin ako ng dugo.”

  Then the ever hilarious comedian/talent manager/reporter quipped, “Thankful na rin ako kasi pag nakikita ko dugo ko, salamat, pula. Akala ko green. Ha-ha-ha! Pula naman siya in fairness.”

  

  Ogie was proud to say that his daughter is a born fighter. He wrote in his FB post in 2018, “Pero ang bata mismo, kapansin-pansin sa araw-araw, hindi sumusuko. Lumalaban, kaya hindi rin sumuko ang mama’t daddy niya at ang mga doktor sa Delgado Hospital, kasama ang dasal ng mga nagmamahal sa kanya.”

  PHOTO BY Facebook/Ogie Diaz

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  Thankful to God for his miracle baby

   Ogie went on to tell PEP.ph that he named her daughter Meerah Khel because she is truly a “miracle baby.”

  “Every day excited ako to see her lagi pag alas-diyes ng umaga kasi magu-good morning siya sa akin. ‘Good morning, Daddy. I love you, Daddy.’

  “Yung mga ganun, musika sa tainga ko ‘yan. Talagang nakakawala ng pagod itong batang ito.

  “Biyaya ito ng Panginoon sa akin talaga.”

  Look at how healthy Baby Meerah looks in the bottom left portion of this photo taken on New Year’s Day this 2021:

  

  PHOTO BY Facebook/Ogie Diaz

  Saving for a rainy day

  Another thing that Ogie was grateful for was that he had enough savings and investments when his daughter went through a health problem at birth.

  He said, ‘Alam mo, natutuwa rin ako sa sarili ko dahil di ako nanghingi. Hindi ako humingi ng tulong sa ibang tao para lang buhayin ang anak ko.”

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  There was only one celebrity who offered to help him pay the hospital bills of Meerah, and Ogie said he only accepted because the celebrity was persistent and also happens to be a very good friend.

  Nonetheless, Ogie underlined that he really believes in saving more than enough for a rainy day.

  He told PEP.ph: “Siyempre, nag-iipon ako, Kunwari matatapos contract ko, baka di na ako i-renew, nag-iipon na ako nun.

  “Para hindi rin, ‘Naku, ‘Paano na yung monthly ko? Paano loan ko sa banko?’ Para wala akong ganyan.

  “Kahit sa mga artista tinuturo ko yan. Importante meron kang ipon, para hindi ka nganga.”

  This story originally appeared on Pep.ph.

  *Minor edits have been made by the SmartParenting.com.ph editors.