Narcy Soabello suffers from Polio. Because of this, he walks with an obvious limp and with great difficulty. In spite of his condition, he refuses to use crutches or wheelchair as this slows him down he says! But unlike some differently-abled people, he refuses to give up on life but instead live a very full life by living for others. He goes around helping other people in need. With his wide range of contacts and amiable personality, he easily gets what he wants not for himself but for the improvement of the lives of other people in need! Be it road repair, drainage, water connection and what have you…A modern GOOD SAMARITAN indeed and in deed! Recently he demonstrated this when he convinced and worked very hard help alleviate the anxiety and suffering of the RICO Family. Seeing the sad condition of Waldimar Rico, he feels sorry for him and his family. He went around soliciting help for Waldimar until somebody told him to go to the Tzu Chi Great Love Rehabilitation Center at the Zamboanga City Medical Center to seek help. Rehabilitation Center head and Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) member Dr. Raymond Sator referred him to Tzu Chi and with the kind help of Dr. Micheal Macrohon; Waldimar Rico is now free from pain and on his stage of his rehabilitation.
41 year old Waldimar Rico married to Vilma Durico is blessed with 5 children ages 19 to 10 years old. He used to drive a passenger van and had a stable income until an illness of his own doing finally got the best of him. A heavy smoker since he was a teenager, he contracted BURGER’S Disease in October 2002 that caused the clogging of a major artery in his right foot which resulted to loss of blood circulation causing gangrene. He was confined for over 7 days and was given expensive medicines to no avail. Having seen no improvement and money becoming a major problem, he opted to discontinue treatment so that his family will not go hungry or fall deeply in debt. For one year, the condition of his very swollen gangrenous foot worsened emitting very foul odor. The infection caused on and off fever and recurrent pain. He withstood the smell and pain for the sake of his children. His wife became the breadwinner in the family by becoming a roving laundrywoman. His two sons took up odd jobs to help their mother. Waldimar stayed in bed at home. In December 2003, his right foot shriveled up leaving it hanging by a small bony attachment. Desperate, he used a blade to cut the attachment. With the hanging foot out of the way, he was able to walk and move around doing housework. With an open wound he used Hydrogen Peroxide and Iodine to keep it clean, taking antibiotics only when “extra” money is available. When Narcy learned about he started to look for help.
Last November 25, 2004 during Tzu Chi 21st Medical Mission at the Zamboanga City Medical Center, the Rico family and Narcy’s prayers were answered. With the kind heart of Dr. Micheal Macrohon and anesthesiologists led by Dra. Cristy Cuevas not to mention the persistence of Narcy; the surgery sponsored by Tzu Chi Zamboanga went successfully. Waldimar is now recuperating and will start his journey to walk on his own two feet soon. He is currently undergoing physical therapy at the Tzu Chi Great Love Rehabilitation Center under the care of Dr. Raymond Sator. When his wound is completely healed, Tzu Chi will fit him with a Jaipur Prosthesis and his life will be completely restored giving him and his family a brighter future ahead of them.
Tzu Chi Zamboanga is very thankful to have been given this opportunity to make a difference and is grateful to the medical volunteers and to the community for making it easy for Tzu Chi Zamboanga to realize its missions of Charity.
Inspired by the selfless love of Narcy Soabello, Tzu Chi hopes he will continue to inspire more people to start looking beyond their own needs and let their great love extend to other people in need.
