Cherry Pie Picache (left) with son Nio
Almost a month after she was declared COVID-free, actress Cherry Pie Picache said she is still recovering from her three-week battle with the virus that she described as “difficult and heartbreaking.”
During the virtual media gathering for the finale of the action-drama series “Walang Hanggang Paalam,” Cherry Pie said: “I’m thankful that I’m still with you here tonight. What we’re going through as a people these days is really hard. There’s no other way but to keep our faith alive and look at the brighter side of things.”
Cherry Pie was asked to look back on her journey as she fought the virus, about which she also posted on her Instagram account because she thought “it might be of help.” She said she hoped her story would “send a little ray of hope and inspiration” to others also affected by the virus. “It is a way to express my gratefulness … and share a concrete testimony of God’s gift of faith … I completely trust in His loving mercy to heal and restore,” she said on her Instagram post.
Toughest, most painful
She likewise described her ordeal as her “toughest, most painful and scariest three-week battle.” She then thanked the people who gave their support, “even though I was too stubborn and insisted on not being brought to the hospital.”
At the press conference, the actress added: “To be honest, the pandemic that we are experiencing right now is difficult and heartbreaking. When I got sick, I realized that the virus has different effects on different people. I also learned that it’s real and difficult [to defeat]. It has changed how I see the things happening around us.”
Cherry Pie said she didn’t exhibit any symptom at the beginning, “but it became increasingly difficult as the days went on. It was painful to the body and to the head.” She developed pneumonia later on and was “monitored” by her doctor while at home.
“We still don’t know what the medicine for this virus is, so strengthening the immune system is important, and so is knowing and practicing the right breathing exercises,” she pointed out. “I’m still not my normal self. I’m still working on regaining my full strength, but life goes on. I still try to be careful because going out of the house is unavoidable, especially since we all need to secure supplies and run other errands.”
Cherry Pie Picache
Cherry Pie said she decided to share her COVID-19 experience because it was mentioned in the press conference that their show “Walang Hanggang Paalam” was the first production to have started grinding during the pandemic. They were locked-in on a set in Subic, Zambales province, from July to December 2020.
Better understanding
“Aside from my appreciation to the team for making sure we followed protocols, I now have a better understanding of what the OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) are going through because they are separated from their families. Gan’on pala ang pakiramdam! I wish we could all learn to share love, compassion and understanding, as well as to reach out to each other. We all need to work for our families. It’s sad that this entails being separated from them.”
In “Walang Hanggang Paalam,” Cherry Pie played the scheming Amelia who made life difficult for the main characters, Celine (Angelica Panganiban) and Emmanuel (Paulo Avelino). “I really enjoyed playing Amelia. It’s been a while since I played kontrabida in a drama series. I like characters that are more complicated because I’m able to experiment with it, unlike if I just play a simple mother,” Cherry Pie pointed out.
Cherry Pie also said: “I don’t believe that love is a game. You give it whether it’s returned or not. You feel it whether you want it or not. You just keep loving. It’s never meant to hurt nor destroy anyone.” INQ