Richard Gutierrez faces public after car crash

Posted on May 30, 2009 blogtopia

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richard_gutierrez_on_recovery Just a week after being injured in a car accident, young actor Richard Gutierrez finally faced the media on Thursday during a thanksgiving affair he hosted with his family.

Gutierrez, clad in a white suit and sporting a few cuts on his left eyebrow as well as a tiny tincture of blood on his eye, announced that he has begun to recover from the trauma of the car accident last May 22. He said that he was thankful for all the support that he had received from fans and relatives. "This is one of the low moments in my life but I am grateful. Andyan ang aking pamilya at kayong lahat na nagdasal sa aming lahat," he said.

The Gutierrez family, led by the actor’s mother Annabelle Rama, had offered a thanksgiving mass at the Christ the King Church in Quezon City to pray for his full recovery after he suffered from major cuts and bruises. He was even reportedly in need of a cornea surgery after glass pierced his eye.

Asked how he is coping, Gutierrez said, "I’ve recovered, and I’m very happy that I’m still alive. I was feeling OK physically, pero spiritually and emotionally, I was really down for the last few days. Now, kasama ko ang aking pamilya, at siyempre mga kaibigan ko, mga supporters ko. At sa lahat ng taong nagmamahal sa akin, gusto ko magpasalamat kasi sila talaga nag-uplift sa spirit ko," he said.

After he survived the accident almost unscathed, Gutierrez said he believes that he has been given a second chance at life. "May mga kailangan pa ako gawin sa buhay ko. I consider this my second life. Kasi nung nakita ko yung kotse ko, hindi ko akalain na ganun na yung itsura ng kotse ko after," he said.

Gutierrez was driving his Nissan Skyline GTX when it crashed into a pole along a blind curve in Silang, Cavite.

He recounted how he felt after the crash and climbed out of the car’s window then started looking for his companions, his assistant Nomar Pardo and his bodyguard George Matsura. The actor said that he and Matsura had tried to find Pardo, who was later found dead by police.

"Hindi ko matanggap na hindi ko mahanap si Nomar. Pagkatapos nung aksidente, tinanong ko agad si George kung OK siya, sumagot na OK daw siya. Paglingon ko, tatanungin ko kung ‘okay ka ba Mar’, eh pagtingin ko wala na siya. Na-shock talaga ako," he said.

He said memories of the accident, from the crash to when he started asking for help from passersby, was still clear in his mind.

"Very clear yung nangyari sa aksidente, kasi the whole time nakadilat ako. Ang daming pumapasok sa isip ko, pero I was very thankful that I was alive and I was breathing. The Lord saved me," the young actor said.