Martin Nievera and his son Santino. Image: Instagram/@martinnievera
Martin Nievera opened up about fatherhood and admitted that he has fears for the future of Santino, his son diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Nievera was in tears when he talked about this during an interview with hosts Regine Velasquez, Jolina Magdangal and Melai Cantiveros, in an episode of the morning talk show “Magandang Buhay” on Thursday, Oct. 27.
“I have a special child and I am so proud — so proud and so scared at the same time because I’m not going to be here forever,” he said.
“When he’s already on his own, who is going to translate? Who’s going to tell people — not apologize but to tell people — na ang ibig niyang sabihin ay gutom siya, na in love siya sa mga mermaid (that all he wants to say is that he is hungry, that he just loves mermaids),” he continued.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Im8MYhgw3Q&t=261s
The Concert King considers his son’s condition as a “challenge” which he learned to “handle” through time. Nievera then spoke about his wish to be a “better father” not just to Santino but also to his two older sons, Robin and Ram.
“I’m still here to entertain everybody but my real life is a challenge, and that’s why I am always in the States so I can co-parent this special child,” Nievera stated. “Robin and Ram, they are helping me now because they are close to Santino. So this could be a [good] thing that they are all together in the same country, that they can take over.”
“Is God trying to tell me, ‘That’s it, that’s your 40 years. Maybe you have to start thinking [about] what happens after…’? — and it’s scary, it’s really scary,” he added.
Santino is Nievera’s child with his former partner Katrina Ojeda. Robin and Ram, meanwhile, are Nievera’s children with his ex-wife, fellow singer Pops Fernandez. EDV