I Love You Dad, Happy Birthday

March 1976, the schools were closed for the summer. For Dan that summer was for friends and family. In Manila Dan took a love boat for Cebu. He said that to travel by ship was exciting and memorable one. He could enjoy seeing fish, whales and sharks swimming happily on the waters.

The ship left Manila bay at 6PM of March 25, 1976, the day before Dan's birthday. But unknown to him, a tragedy was waiting on their way. The captain of the ship has received a weather forecast that a typhoon was about to come at 150 km per hour. It was too late for the ship to go back to the harbor of its origin since the ship was already some miles away. The captain of the ship had to inform the passengers to not to panic.

At about 10:30 in the evening, the typhoon Auring started blowing its indisputable strength all over the place. Heavy rains came with the strong winds. The night was dark and the sea was dancing with the giant waves.

Cries and shouts could be heard. Everybody was shouting for help but nobody heard it. Prayers could be heard - asking help from God to save them but God seemed to be asleep. Everybody was in a panic - afraid to die, but if it was his destiny nobody could stop it.

Dan looked weary. For him it was maybe the end of his life. But he still had hope that God would hear his prayers. He hoped that he would meet his family for the summer to celebrate his birthday and to enjoy his vacation.

At about 11:45 before midnight, the ship started to sink. Everybody saw the ship slowly sinking into the deep sea. The passengers were shouting for help but nobody came. Those were the last shouts that Dan heard as the ship sunk.

The next day, the typhoon Auring was almost gone but the sea was still in turmoil. Dan found himself floating on the water, frozen and paralyzed. He saw hundreds of debris floating on the waters with hundreds of dead bodies. He could not move - his feet and hands to swim. He was weak and dying. He was shouting for help. His eyes filled with tears and later he became unconscious.

Roger, who was Dan's son - found him roosting on his favorite rolling chair half-asleep. He walked towards his father to greet him but he noticed there were papers scattered on the floor. He picked them up to put them in the trash, but was surprised to read a heading in the newspapers dated March 26, 1976 which read, "Finally, the only survivor was found alive by the fishermen and was identified as 'Dan Escobar', when Dona Ellain sank on the waters because of typhoon Auring," he said, "Amazing! He was my father." He embraced his father, kissed him tenderly and said, "I love you dad, happy birthday."