Who wouldn’t be ensnared by that genuine smile? Yes, it is not only for the cameras because the best photos we have taken were actually stolen in between formal shots. And that is actually what we hear from everybody relishing their best memory of the 18-year-old Antonello Joseph “AJ” Sarte Perez who passed away at a tender age due to a vehicular accident recently.

“Please, can I take my shirt off for the picture? How come you are allowing them (referring to other ABS-CBN actors in the shoot) to do it?” AJ sweetly pleaded nonstop because he worked very hard to transform his young lanky body to a more masculine, leadingactor look (his personal trainer told me that is sans any supplementation because he is so young). We kept on reminding him that Star Magic specifically said his shirt should always be on as his image was wholesome (he was just 17 then). But I guess he was just so proud that his hard work and sweat in the gym had paid off.

While the photo was taken specifically for the special advertisement in the Star Magic Catalogue 2011, we took several photos which we would like to share with fans and friends alike — and all who were positively touched by AJ, and inspired by his cheery disposition and admirable passion and discipline to be the best he could be in anything he set his mind and heart on, whether it was basketball, school, acting, dancing, modeling or simply being a son or best friend.

Unconditional Love

AJ’s loving mom Marivic calmly said in a TV interview, “All the good words we hear people say about AJ make me and my husband Gerry very proud of him. He is a perfect son.”

She shares that on the night before the accident, AJ slept beside her. She recalls the last call he made close to 10 p.m. when he said he would be home soon and that his mother did not have to worry. At that same time, she was watching Boy Abunda’s Bottomline interview with Fatima Soriano. She decided to donate AJ’s cornea to the blind Marian devotee, but unfortunately, it was not what she needed. The corneas helped one eight-year-old boy and another man whose prayers for a suitable donor were finally answered.

I went to AJ’s wake in Greenhills to personally extend my condolences to his parents and also to give them copies of the photos we took of AJ. I approached AJ’s dad Gerry, introduced myself, and expressed my sympathies.  After I handed the photos and he looked at them, he started to sob, prompting me to hug and console him though I was practically a stranger. I felt his pain as a parent, and I took notes of his interviews on TV with Boy Abunda.

“I remember all the good times with AJ. I have everything planned for my son. I see myself growing old and seeing my grandchildren. We want him to finish college. And there was no indication previously that he wanted to be in showbiz.  On his second TV commercial, we were invited by ABS-CBN. We were given a tour, then Mr. M (chairman emeritus of Star Magic Johnny Manahan) asked him if he wanted to be an actor, and he said no. He was a reserved person. It took time before he agreed to it,” he said.

His, and their agreed priority as a family, was for AJ to finish school. In fact, he was looking forward to college at DLSU where he first applied for Entrepreneurship but later shifted his application to Marketing. He personally drove for AJ every day from the Sabel (a recently concluded teleserye of ABS-CBN where AJ was lead) shoot to De La Salle High School in Greenhills. According to Dad Gerry, AJ was really kind-hearted by nature and noticing how tired his father was driving from the shoot venue to school (the shoot sometimes ended at 4 a.m., and AJ would quietly change into his La Salle uniform to go to school, and would quietly arrive on the set late afternoon straight from school), he asked when they would hire a driver. They agreed they would do that when the teleserye ends.

                                                                             READ MORE ▼▼▼▼

Isang e-mail ang natanggap ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) mula kay Mr. Gerry Perez, ama ng namayapang young actor na si AJ Perez, na naglalaman ng sulat at isang kanta na nilikha ng Concert King na si Martin Nievera at nilapatan ng musika ni Marvin Querido.

Sariwa pa sa alaala ng buong industriya ang maagang pagpanaw ni AJ dahil sa car accident na naganap nuong April 17, 2011.  Pinagluksa ito ng pamilya at malalapit na mga kaibigan ng young actor kung saan nagsilbi pala itong inspirasyon kay Martin para makalikha ng isang kanta.

Narito ang sulat ni Martin Nievera kay Gerry Perez:

"Hi Gerry,

"It was great to finally meet you the other night at the Pen. I know that we hardly know each other and that AJ and I probably  spoke twice that I can remember backstage in ASAP.

"But I am still a father.

"When I found out what had happened that day we lost AJ, I was moved to tears and my imagination took me to places I didn't want to be. I automatically put myself in your shoes and thought of my three sons.

"I mean, this could happen to any father and I am so deeply sorry it happened to you. But what if it happened to me? That is where this song was born.

"With the music of Marvin Querido, I was able to put these words down. I tried to imagine what could've been if I were to turn back the hands of time to the very beginning of that tragic day. Even though I know we will all meet again in a beautiful place where pain does not exist, I still could not help thinking, what if...



"I am sorry I am only able to give you this song now, but during the time of AJ's early goodbye, there was so much going on in the media, I didn't want to seem like I was trying to get air time. 

"I truly felt your loss and here is the song to prove it. I am glad I met you because I feel you should hear this song before anyone else. God bless you and your family, Gerry.

"Here is the song. Please forgive the quality of this demo. I wrote it the day after we lost AJ using only my laptop and the built-in microphone on my MacBook Air."



Until We Meet Again

What do you do
What can you say
How can you mend a broken heart
 
How many tears
How many years
When will forgetting start
 
So little time
Each moment divine
Like pictures from a near past
 
Can time be my friend
Let that day begin again
Making each moment last
 
I won't let you get away
I should have made you stay
Now that you are gone
Darkness shines brighter than the sun
 
in my heart till the end
Until we meet again...
 
So little time
Each moment divine
Like pictures from a near past
 
Can time be my friend
Let that day begin again
Making each moment last
 
I won't let you get away
I should have made you stay
Now that you are gone
Darkness shines brighter than the sun
 
In my heart till the end
Until we meet again...

And with all that I have in me
With every single prayer I pray
You'll be there right beside me
And in my dreams there'll be no end
 
I won't let you get away
I should have made you stay
Now that you are gone
Darkness shines brighter than the sun
 
In my heart till the end
Until we meet again
 
You'll be in my heart till the end
Until we meet again...

(In Memory of AJ Perez)

MUSIC: Marvin Querido
LYRICS: Martin Nievera


Source : http://www.pep.ph/news/31024/AJ-Perezs-father-Gerry-Perez-shares-song-dedicated-
to-the-memory-of--late-son;-lyrics-written-by-Martin-NieveraMelba R. Llanera

Maybe…
he was there.
and maybe…
he saw.
Surely,
he was happy…
his baby brother escorting her beloved…
he could have been smiling
all-throughout the ball.
and he said:

thanks.
for being THERE WITH ME…

“in a moment I cherished..
an unforgettable event I will always look forward to…
                                             in my dreams,
                                             and my
                                             new-found reality…”

a little poem by robert manuguid silverio

thanks to: @CherryPineda (twitter account) and aj perez FB Page for the picture below:
#StarMagicBall representing @ajperez17 were @gelloperez and @stephayson




SOURCE : http://sssip.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/70-000-plus-views-on-a-twit-photo-of-ajs-younger-brod-and-gf-httptwitpic-com6fqdoo/

Dr. Munguita Padilla (left) leads the unveiling of the new poster of the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines with (from left) Marivic Perez and Gerry Perez, Dr. Bernardita Navarro, and Dr. Leo Cubillan. (Photo by MANNY LLANES)

MANILA, Philippines — Close your eyes. for a minute, allow yourself to be blind. how does it feel when everything turns black? when you start to feel your body falling backwards in space as your senses adjust to the darkness? were you frightened, frustrated, or confused? Or, for a brief moment, did you feel grateful knowing that any moment, you can open your eyes and see again? Now imagine what a blind person feels.

The Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines has been lobbying for the support of good, kind hearted Filipinos to commit to a gift of eyesight, a gift that will help those who need the vision, who, in turn, will carry on the giver’s good will long after they’re gone.

A non-stock, non-profit organization, Eye Bank has labored to bridge the stark need of Filipinos suffering from corneal blindness, facilitating the link between recipients and eye donors. The equation sounds simple, but much is needed to support an operation of this kind across the entire Philippines.

“Basically, what the Eye Bank does is it retrieves, processes, stores and distributes eye tissue around the country,” said Dr. Dominga ‘Minguita’ Padilla, president and chairman of Eye Bank Foundation Philippines. “It’s a very spiritual endeavor in a way, because it takes people of heart who care about others to make it happen, not just the doctor, not just the technology, but also the community.”

A vision to live on

Earlier this year, eight-year-old John Daniel de los Santos and 27-year-old Lawrence Villanueva had their sights restored through the cornea donation of the late young actor AJ Perez, who died in a car crash April this year.

Two people benefitted from the generous intentions of AJ’s parents, Gerry and Marivic, and they even went further to join Eye Bank in launching ‘A Vision To Live On’, a year-long campaign to increase awareness, acceptance and support for eye and cornea donation. During the campaign launch, new Eye Bank advocacy materials were unveiled with AJ Perez as its ‘poster boy’.

“Since our foundation in 1995, we’ve been so blessed to have been able to process close to 15,600 corneas and whole eyes. when we have a surplus we even distribute around Asia and Africa. And although a majority of the donors remain anonymous, even to the recipients, one of the reasons we’ve been very successful is because we have the support of a lot of celebrities and the media,” Dr. Padilla explained.

The late Miko Sotto, who fell to his death in 2003, was the first poster boy for Eye Bank and it was his mother, Ali Sotto who encouraged AJ’s parent’s to continue the legacy of their son. “Months after Ali mentioned the possibility of having AJ as the new poster boy for Eye Bank, we realized that apart from donating AJ cornea’s, we can help more people if we continue to support this advocacy,” said Gerry Perez.                                                                                                                  

How does it work?

Aside from AJ, more than 446 Filipinos have committed and fulfilled their pledge including Ramon Judiel Lumbad, a volunteer firefighter who died at the age of 17, an administrative officer of the Department of Public Works and Highways, and a veteran and survivor of the Death March who died at the age of 91.

“except those who have HIV and syphilis, almost anyone can donate. you don’t even have to have  50/50 vision as long as the corneas or the entire eye balls are normal. with today’s technology, two corneas can help four people. if you donate two eye balls, you can help as much as 10,” said Dr. Padilla.

She added: “To get the cornea, we have to test the blood, test the cornea, store it in a solution and distribute it in such a way that stays safe and fresh even up to 48 hours. We can send it to the recipients by plane or courier for free through our partners like Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and LBC. they don’t have to come to Manila; we’ll send it to them.”

In the Philippines, the top four reasons people need transplantsare: infections, scars from various causes, corneal damage after eye surgery (e.g. cataract surgery), Corneal Dystrophy (genetic conditions that cause gradual damage to the cornea due to abnormal deposition of substances in the body), and Keratoconus and other abnormalities of the shape of the cornea.

More government support

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has been a partner of Eye Bank; but with the suspension of their various grants to non-government organizations, Eye Bank remains hopeful that soon, charities such as them, which have consistently displayed credible diligence, would once again be able to resume this productive partnership, especially since the charity patients they serve are almost always from government hospitals.

“if corneal processing would be even partly included under PhilHealth coverage, then imagine how many more potentially productive Filipinos can return to their lives and livelihood, equipped with their vision once again,” Dr. Padilla said.

Eye bank donor cards are available at the UP-Philippine General Hospital. but what a lot of people don’t know is that millions of Filipinos already carry donor cards; all they need to do is look at the back of their driver’s license.

“The driver license in itself is a donor card already. People don’t know that because LTO doesn’t really advertise it. all we need is to advocate policy for checking for their IDs, often carried on their person, so that the opportunity to collect their gift might not pass unnoticed,” said Dr. Padilla.

For more information and interested donors, contact Eye Bank Foundation Philippines at 302 6282 or visit eyebankfil.org

AttachmentSize Dr. Munguita Padilla (left) leads the unveiling of the new poster of the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines with (from left) Marivic Perez and Gerry Perez, Dr. Bernardita Navarro, and Dr. Leo Cubillan. (Photo by MANNY LLANES)

Tinawagan ako noong isang gabi ni Gerry Perez, tatay ng yumaong ABS-CBN young actor na si AJ Perez.

Gustong makausap ni Daddy Gerry si German Moreno.

Isang kaibigan kasi ni Daddy Gerry ang nagsabi sa kanya na sinabi ni Kuya Germs sa DZBB radio show nito na isasama niya ang pangalan ni AJ sa Walk of Fame sa Eastwood ngayong Disyembre 1.

“Gusto ko lang ma-confirm kung totoo ‘yung sinabi sa akin ng isang kaibigan ko,” sabi ni Daddy Gerry.
Tinawagan ko si Kuya Germs at nag-conference call kami ni Daddy Gerry.

Kinumpirma ni Kuya Germs kay Daddy Gerry ang tungkol sa balitang ‘yon.
Nagpahayag si Kuya Germs kay Daddy Gerry na nabasa niya ang tungkol sa pagdo-donate ni AJ ng cornea ng mga mata nito sa Eye Bank Foundation na napakinabangan ng da­lawang nilalang, kaya dahil doon, isasama ng TV host/producer ang pangalan ni AJ sa Walk of Fame.

Ipinaliwanag ni Kuya Germs kay Daddy Gerry na kahit patay na si AJ, maganda ang ginawa nilang ‘yon.
Malaking bagay rin ang pagiging poster boy nga­yon ni AJ para sa A Vision to Live On ng Eye Bank Foundation.

SOURCE: ABANTE-TONITE
http://abante-tonite.com/issue/aug2811/showbiz_jl.htm

ANG yumaong ABS-CBN young actor na si AJ Pe­rez ang “poster boy” ng Eye Bank Foundation of The Philippines para sa kanilang A Vision To Live On campaign na ni-launch kahapon sa Annabel’s restaurant sa Morato Av., Quezon City.

Um-attend sa launch na ‘yon ang mga magulang ni AJ na sina Gerry at Marivic, pati ang kapatid niyang si Gelo Perez.

Sumuporta rin ang Star Magic talents na sina Enrique Gil, Jessy Mendiola at Young JV pati si Steven Silva.

Si AJ ang napiling “poster boy” para sa campaign na ‘yon dahil ang cornea ng kanyang mga mata ay idinonate ng kanyang mga magulang sa Eye Bank Foundation of The Philippines.

Dalawang tao ang nakinabang sa mga ‘yon, ang eight-year old na si John Daniel de los Santos at si Lawrence Villanueva (na birthday kahapon at 28 years old na).

Parehong nasa event na ‘yon ang dalawang reci­pient ng cornea ng mga mata ng yumaong young actor.

Ayon kay Daddy Gerry, masaya siya na kahit yumao na si AJ ay nananati­ling nakakatulong pa rin ito sa kanyang kapwa.

Sa pamamagitan ng A Vision To Live On campaign ng Eye Bank Foundation at sa tulong ni AJ bilang “poster boy” ay umaasa ang nasabing foundation na marami pang magsa-sign-up para sa kanilang “donor card” para sakaling mag-“goodbye” na sila sa mundong ito ay mapakinabangan pa rin ang cornea ng kanilang mga mata.

Sa mga gustong mag-sign-up para sa donor card ng Eye Bank Foundation, puwede kayong tumawag sa 302-6282 o mag-log-on sa kanilang website: www.eyebankphil.org

Samantala, pagkatapos ng event na ‘yon ay nag-coffee kami nina Daddy Gerry, Mommy Marivic, Gelo at nina Suzette at Arnold Ayson na mga magulang ng dating girlfriend ni AJ na si Steph, at ang dating handler ni AJ na si Gidget de la Cuesta.

Nabanggit sa akin ng mga magulang ng yumaong young actor na natutuwa sila na ang mga dating kasamahan ni AJ sa showbiz ay palagi pa ring nakasuporta sa kanila at pati sa event na ‘yon ay nagpunta pa rin.

Naikuwento rin sa akin ni Daddy Gerry na imbitado sa Star Magic Ball sa Set­yembre 3 ang kanyang bunso.

A-attend doon si Gelo kasama ang da­ting girlfriend ni AJ na si Steph.

-JUN LALIN

Source: ABANTE TONITE

http://www.abante-tonite.com/issue/aug2511/showbiz_jl.htm

Four months after his death, AJ Perez’s memory is kept alive by the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines that recently named him its newest poster boy.The 18-year-old actor’s father, Gerry Perez, and younger brother, Angelo, graced the Eye Bank event, as reported on “TV Patrol,” Aug. 24. Clips also showed AJ’s good friends and fellow “Sabel” cast members Jessy Mendiola and Joseph Marco at the occasion.Angelo seemed to have followed in his brother’s footsteps by signing up to be a cornea donor.“I would love to donate and... I would really be proud of myself and I want to be just like my brother,” said he in an interview with the news program.The Perez family has donated AJ’s corneas to the Eye Bank, which benefited eight-year-old Daniel delos Santos and 28-year-old Lawrence Villanueva, who were both at the event as well.The two recipients underwent their respective corneal transplants on separate dates shortly after AJ’s death last April.“Guminhawa na po ‘yung pakiramdam ko,” was Daniel’s declaration to “TV Patrol.”Lawrence is as grateful to have received AJ’s cornea. He said that it relieved him of a problem with his left eye, which had previously affected his performance at work.“Two months pa lang ‘yung healing process niya and then the vision dapat one year and then right now 24-20 na [ang vision] ko,” said Lawrence in a separate interview.Daddy Gerry, meanwhile, admitted that their family still misses “everything” about AJ.“[We miss] his face, his smile…” he added pensively.Prior to AJ, actors Miko Sotto, Angelo Manhilot and Edward James Lim—sons of Ali Sotto, Cesar Montano and Toni Rose Gayda, respectively—donated their corneas to the Eye Bank.

Source : K

NANGILID ANG LUHA namin pag-unveil sa poster ng Eye Bank Foundation. Pati si Daddy Gerry Perez at si Mommy Marivic, hindi maalis-alis sa nakangiting larawan ni AJ Perez ang kanilang tingin.

Si AJ ngayon ang poster boy ng Eye Bank Foundation kung saan siya ang simbolo ng bawat eye or cornea donor.  Dalawang nilalang nga ang nabiyayaan ng kanyang cornea na nandu’n din sa launching para personal na magpasalamat sa magulang ng namayapang aktor.

Um-attend din ang mga kaibigan ni AJ na sina Jessie Mendiola, Joseph Marco, Enrique Gil at iba pa bilang pagsuporta sa kanilang kaibigan.

Isa rin itong paraan para hikayatin ang mga tao na magsuksok ng card ng Eye Bank Foundation para pag dumating ang time na kukunin na ni Lord eh ido-donate na lang ang cornea o ang mata sa Eye Bank.

Maging kami ay kumuha na rin ng donor card, pero siyempre, ipinagpe-pray pa rin namin na saka na, after 50 years, Lord, ha? Ang liliit pa ng mga anak ko, hahaha!

Nakiusap talaga ke Lord? Hahahaha!  Love You, Lord!



Oh My G.
Ogie Diaz
http://www.pinoyparazzi.com/aj-perez-dalawang-buhay-ang-binigyan-ng-maliwanag-na-bukas/

MANILA, Philippines — The end of a young life paved the way for the continuation of another life who received the gift of vision from the former through corneal transplantation.

Eight-year-old John Daniel de los Santos is an intelligent little kid who has always amazed his parents with his happy disposition, despite his condition. John had corneal ulcer on one eye, an open sore on the cornea, the transparent part of the eye which covers the iris, the colored part of the eye which is caused by bacterial infections.

“John acquired corneal cancer when he was two months old. Last year, his doctor said he could go for an operation that could restore his sight. We went to an eye bank and in April of this year, the doctor told us that we already have a donor,” Sarah delos Santos, John’s mother, told the media in a conference Wednesday.

The donor is the late young actor AJ Perez who is now the new poster boy of the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines. Since Perez’s demise early this year, his parents have joined the eye bank’s new campaign “A vision to live on,” a campaign to encourage Filipinos to commit their corneas to the foundation and give the gift of eyesight to recipients.

A cornea is harvested from a cadaver within 12 hours after death.

The most common indications for corneal transplantation in the Philippines are infections, scars from such causes as corneal damage after eye surgery, genetic conditions that cause gradual damage to the cornea due to abnormal deposition of substances in the body or due to the gradual structural damage to the cornea; and abnormalities of shape of the cornea.

Dr. Ma. Minguita Padilla, Eyebank Foundation president and chairperson, said this year, 446 Filipinos have donated their corneas to the foundation.

“If the single donation of AJ Perez served to benefit two others, then more donors could help a vast more number of Filipinos who could yet have their sight restored,” Padilla said.

Former street sweeper Celia Avila, 62, also benefitted from a cornea donated by an anonymous donor. “Let us not be selfish with our cornea. It would be better if we could donate our cornea because someone else could receive the gift of sight.”

The eye bank distributes some 800 to 1,000 eye tissues for transplant and research a year. Fifty-two percent of patients in the Philippines who need corneal transplants are charity patients who are subsidized by the foundation.



SOURCE: MANILA BULLETIN

http://manila-bulletin.net/blog/2011/08/25/late-actor-lives-on-in-kid-who-received-his-cornea/