Mario Dumaual. Image from his Facebook page
Updated, 4:29 PM
Entertainment journalist Mario Dumaual has died due to septic shock as a result of his recent heart attack, his family said on Wednesday, July 5.
He would’ve turned 65 years old this coming July 31, according to a statement issued by his family on Facebook.
According to his family, Dumaual died at around 8:01 a.m., after battling “severe fungal infection,” which is said to be a “complication during his recovery from a heart attack.” He was confined for a month at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City prior to his death.
“Papa was strong, he kept fighting on, overcoming the heart attack then a cardiac arrest. He would always say he wanted to go home because he missed us, his family. But the infection overwhelmed his body’s ability to recover,” the family said in the statement.
“What comforts us is he knew that we were always with him, waiting for him, and that home was wherever he felt our love. We also made it a point to let him know how loved he was by his friends in the industry and even kind strangers who have been offering prayers and help for his recovery,” the statement further read.
The veteran journalist is survived by his wife Cherie, his children Luigi, Miguel, Maxine, William, and Thessa, and his grandchildren Sky, Alonzoe, and Tali.
Dumaual’s passing was also announced by ABS-CBN in its Twitter page.
Pumanaw na ang batikang entertainment reporter ng ABS-CBN News na si Mario Dumaual, ayon sa kaniyang pamilya.
Paalam at maraming salamat, Kapamilya. pic.twitter.com/EyGNcBxiFn
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) July 5, 2023
Further details about his internment will be disclosed in the “coming days,” as of this writing.
Dumaual is one of the most prolific entertainment journalists in the country, and has interviewed many local and international celebrities throughout the course of his career. EDV