A 21-year-old student of Pangasinan State University-Urdaneta campus had her virtual graduation ceremony in her hospital bed on Dec. 5 after she was hit by a speeding motorcycle in front of their house in Barangay Tara-tara in Sison town a week before her graduation.

Joelinda Castillo was in tears while recalling her sad yet happy virtual graduation ceremony.

“It was sad because I suffered fractured left ribs and left ankle. But I am still happy because finally, despite this difficult trial, I was still able to graduate from college,” Castillo told The PUNCH.

A speeding motorcycle driven by a drunk rider hit her while she was sitting on the road shoulder of a wide two-way concrete road while bonding with friends enjoying a barbecue.
She was rushed to the Urdaneta Sacred Heart Hospital where she was confined for one week.

Assisted by her two cousins, her face was flashed on the screen during their virtual graduation ceremony with her university sash and pin, family picture and her diploma beside her in her hospital bed.

Graduating students’ parents were supposed to stand beside them during the ceremony but Castillo’s mom is an Overseas Filipino Worker in Singapore while her dad was busy at that time trying to earn enough to pay for her hospital bill. Her family picture accomplished that for her.

Castillo said she kept faith in what she could do to overcome the difficult trials in her life so she could be in a better position financially to help her family, particularly her three younger siblings to finish college.

She is having her review classes for her Licensure Examination for Teachers given by her school which was interrupted because of the accident. (PhilStar Wire Service/ECV)

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