Photo from Facebook
HIMALANG nakaligtas at hindi nasunog ang imahen nina Virgin Mary at St. Joseph mula sa isang bahay na tinupok ng apoy sa naganap na wildfire sa South Pasadena, California.
Viral ngayon sa social media ang pamilya ng mag-asawang Peter at Jackie Halpin matapos matagpuan sa nasunog nilang tahanan ang buong-buo pa ring statue ni Mama Mary at ni St. Joseph.
Isa ang bahay nina Peter at Jackie sa mga natupok na ari-arian dulot ng malawakang wildfire sa Los Angeles, California, na nagsimula pa noong January 7, 2025.
Naibalita sa iba’t ibang news programs sa US ang tungkol sa nag-survive na Virgin Mary statue na itinuturing nga ng marami na isang himala.
“My wife was concerned about going up there coz she didn’t think she could do it, but it was healing for us to get on to our property,” ang pahayag ni Peter sa interview ng Fox News.
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Pinuntahan daw ng mag-asawa, kasama ang anim nilang anak, ang kanilang nasunog na bahay at laking-gulat nga nila nang matagpuan ang imahen na buong-buo pa.
Kuwento pa ni Peter, “When we got up there and we just stood around and it was remarkable that how everything had gotten fried but the statue of the Virgin Mary, and another statue of St. Joseph were in perfect condition. Obviously, there were a little singed.”
Habang magkakasama sa lugar kung saan nakatayo ang kanilang naabong bahay ay kumanta ang pamilya Halpin ng isang song of praise.
Nabidyuhan ito ng isa nilang kaibigan at ipinost sa social media na agad ngang nag-viral. Nabatid na kabilang pala sa church choir ang mga anak nina Jackie at Peter
Ani Jackie sa naturang panayam, “It was a remarkable thing. Our intention was not to producing and go viral at all. It’s pretty much a family thing.”
Saad uli ni Peter, “The response from the community has been unbelievable and so heartfelt.
“The love that we’ve gotten from the community is mind-blowing and we hope that Altadena is a beautiful place to live, and our hearts go out to everyone in our community,” aniya pa.
Nagsagawa naman ng fund drive ang isa sa mga anak ng mag-asawa na si Pete Halpin sa pamamagitan ng GoFundMe, isang US-based crowdfunding platform.
Mensahe ni Pete sa inilunsad na funding drive, “Our parents bought that home over 35 years ago, and it was a center of hospitality, joy, support, and familial love for a wide and deep circle of loved ones over those three decades. As with many others, they lost absolutely everything.”
Ang amount goal nina Pete ay $90,000 o P5.2 million, ngunit umabot sa $135,728 o P7.9 million ang nakuha nilang donasyon.
Nagpahayag din ng pasasalamat ang kapatid ni Pete na si Andrew Halpin sa panayam ng EWTN, “Everyone in our family is safe and alive, and so we’re very grateful for that.
“It’s definitely a difficult time for my parents and for my sister and her child who also live with them. Nothing quite like this. Growing up, a few times you’ll see a blaze in the mountain, or there’s always the California wildfire season that we’re pretty accustomed to.
“But something that came through our neighborhood so fast, so intense. There’s never been anything like that in my lifetime.
“All that was really that survived was that statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the statue of St. Joseph in another area of the yard,” pahayag pa ni Andrew.