Candy Pangilinan and her son Quentin in the graduation ceremony | Image: Instagram/@candypangilinan
Candy Pangilinan is one proud mother, as her only son, Quentin, graduated from senior high school with a special award.
On Instagram, the actress shared a video from the graduation ceremony where she and Quentin went up on stage to receive the most cheerful award.
“We finished senior high. Wala po kaming high honors pero most cheerful award po kami (we don’t have high honors but we have the most cheerful award),” she began her caption.
Pangilinan remarked that it was not a “perfect” graduation, as Quentin had tantrums, but she’s grateful for the milestone, nonetheless.
“Hanggang graduation di kami magkasundo (Until graduation, we contended with each other). Wala kaming matinong picture (We weren’t able to take a decent picture). Okay lang graduate pa rin kami (But it’s okay, we graduated still). Not a perfect graduation. Q had tantrums after the ceremony. At least we finished the ceremony,” she said.
Before the ceremony, Pangilinan posted the invitation showing Quentin’s name as a candidate for graduation and shared her sentiments about ending this chapter of their lives.
“Praise God! Thank you to everyone who has been and is still a part of our journey. Tomorrow, we end a chapter and start anew. It is scarier and closer to the reality of independence and adulthood. We continue to move forward,” she expressed.
“Thank you, family, friends, therapists, coaches, teachers, caregivers, doctors, medical professionals, colleagues, fellow parents, advocates, community, priests, altar servers, supporters, bashers, people that gave me the opportunity to work so I can provide… Wow, the list goes on.. Thank you to every person we have encountered,” she concluded her caption.
Quentin, now 20 years old, is part of the autism spectrum. Pangilinan runs a YouTube vlog where she shows their lives, including the challenges of raising a child with special needs.
“Join me on my journey with my son, family, and friends. I am not a medical expert. I am simply a mother of a child with ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder),” reads the bio of her vlog.