Photo from Jamich’s official Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines—There will be no seventh anniversary for YouTube power couple Jamich after Jamvhille “Jam” Sebastian’s passing, but Jamich will live on in the romantic videos that made them famous.
“Jamich” was the online moniker of real-life couple Sebastian and Paolinne Michelle Liggayu. Sebastian passed away at 10:30 a.m. on March 4, almost one year after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer.
MAIN STORY: Jam Sebastian of Jamich dies
Together, the pair rose to fame in 2011 through short films based on their love life and spoofs uploaded on the video-sharing website. They first became a couple in 2008.
In remembrance of Sebastian, here is the #InquirerSeven list of milestones in Jamich’s love story as caught on camera.
1. Jamich’s first short film
Jamich’s very first video together dwelled on a topic very close to the couple’s heart—their own love story.
Starring Sebastian and Liggayu as themselves, the 15-minute film “By Chance” put on display the real-life struggles any relationship goes through, and how two people can stay committed to each other despite the problems.
Posted on June 6, 2011, the video has since garnered almost eight million views as of writing.
2. Jamich’s rise to fame
The short film titled “TEXT: Story of Best Friends” is currently Jamich’s most watched video, with around 8.7 million views since it was first uploaded on Oct. 31, 2011.
“TEXT” tells the story of Princess and Ivan—played by Liggayu and Sebastian, respectively—two childhood friends whose relationship is tested after the latter joined a fraternity and began to change for the worse.
After this video was posted, Jamich was nominated for—and eventually won—the “Video Slinger” award during the 2012 Globe Tatt Awards. They also won “YouTube Phenom of the Year” during the same awards show twice, in 2013 and 2014.
3. Jamich goes abroad
A little over a year after “By Chance,” the now-popular Jamich—sponsored by Penshoppe—filmed their first film out of the country in Thailand. Actor Mario Maurer also guest-starred in the video, which was aptly named “THAILAND: Long Distance Relationship” and uploaded on Aug. 22, 2012.
Jamich also posted on the same day another video that showed how “Thailand” was filmed.
In the behind-the-scenes video during the film’s taping, the couple are all smiles and jokes—very much in love, as most commenters expressed.
4. Mich proposes to Jam
For all their fame depicting one love story after another, nothing could beat the kilig factor Jamich fans felt when Liggayu, two months after Sebastian was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, proposed to her long-time boyfriend in front of a crowd at the Philippine International Convention Center.
On May 11, 2014, during the 1 p.m. session of The Feast, Liggayu arranged for a video tribute on Jamich to be shown. The singer later went on stage with friends and shared how incredibly happy Sebastian has made her.
“I hope I can make you the happiest man on Earth, because you have made me the happiest woman on Earth. Jamvhille Fernando Sebastian, will you be my happily ever after?” Liggayu said, before producing the ring.
Sebastian, of course, said yes.
5. Jam stays positive despite cancer
Despite Sebastian’s dire illness, he showed Jamich fans that he still had a sense of humor despite his condition.
Sebastian, propped on a pillow and with a face mask dangling on one year, asked again and again, “Naniniwala ka ba? (Do you believe it?)” after a series of what he thought were strange events.
The video was a welcome respite for Jamich fans, who were then beginning to get used to seeing photo after photo of the actor, thinning arms and hollowed cheeks, in a hospital bed.
6. Mich’s interview on ‘The Buzz’
Liggayu’s interview on The Buzz, which aired on Feb. 28 this year, was the most revealing interview she gave regarding Sebastian’s cancer.
She confessed to host Boy Abunda that her fiance’s deteriorating condition was extremely difficult not only for him but for her, as well. On most days, she said, Sebastian would apologize because he could barely reply to her due to the pain he was undergoing from the medication and chemotherapy.
If Liggayu could tell Sebastian one more thing, she said, it would be to trust more deeply in the Lord. “If you’re with Lord, you’ll be at peace in any way and any situation,” she said.
7. Mich sings to Jam one last time
The last video with both Sebastian and Liggayu present was uploaded by one Jecka Florido and shared by Liggayu on her official Facebook page.
The short clip starts with friends and family of Sebastian singing John Legend’s “All of Me” to the actor. Halfway through the clip, Liggayu steps in and sings the song to Sebastian solo. The whole time, Sebastian’s eyes are on her.
The video was uploaded on March 1, three days before Sebastian’s passing. SP
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