Richard thankful for second lease on life

After his much-publicized debilitating accident that left him bed-ridden and immobile for more than a year, the country’s premier jazz artist, Richard Merk, cannot be thankful enough for his second lease on life.

He was sidelined from practically every activity he used to do, including performing, something he has been doing ever since he was nine years old and where he has undoubtedly made a name for himself.

Richard was on his way home to Ayala Westgrove in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, from the house of his friend Mito Barretto in BF Parañaque City when the accident happened. He was driving 80-km-per hour in the middle of SLEX, near the Shell Station after Alabang Exit.

“I was blinded by the head lights from the rear left mirror,” Richard recalled. “The huge bumper of the truck suddenly hit my Montero from behind. My car turned turtle four times to the right and stopped upside down.”

The roof of the driver’s seat caved in and Richard was pushed to the passenger’s seat.

“I became safe there. If I was wearing a seatbelt, I would have died on the spot. If there was somebody on the passenger’s seat, he could have died. I checked my fingers, they were all intact.”

The SLEX rescue team brought Richard to Asian Hospital from where he sent a text message to his wife, Roni, who was home. Roni called up Dr. Gilbert de la Cruz, an ophthalmologist at Asian Hospital, who was with Richard at Mito’s place.

“I felt something painful on my shoulder which turned out to be a fracture,” continued Richard. “I was screaming and shouting at the Emergency Room. They gave me the painkiller Demerol at 4 a.m. I woke up at around 9 a.m. and the pain was gone. I was able to walk again, but with a sling on my right arm.”

That night, Richard even performed two songs in the jazz festival at Palacio de Maynila on Roxas Boulevard. The next night, he arranged a despedida concert for his mom, Annie Brazil, at Monk’s Dream in Makati. He performed there again.

However, after three days, Richard’s right foot started swelling and it turned purple.

“I went for a check up at De Los Santos General Hospital, where Roni knew a doctor. I was confined. My leg had to undergo debridement six times, every other day. They had to remove all the pus from my foot. I was sedated every time.”

Richard also tried being immersed in a whirlpool with a lot of Betadine to clean the wound in his leg. After a few weeks, his first doctor said they did everything they could, but they had to amputate his right foot and cut it from the knee down to prevent a flesh-eating bacteria from spreading.

“I told my doctor that I would sleep on it,” he recalled. “But I couldn’t imagine myself without my right foot. I wasn’t able to sleep. The next day, I told him I wanted to get a second opinion. He referred me to an orthopedic surgeon, but I refused.” (Richard is diabetic.)

Roni got a call from Suzy Bugante, Corporate Communications head of SSS. Suzi referred Richard to Dr. Luino Tongson, a diabetes expert from the Chinese General Hospital.

“When I went to Dr. Tongson, he removed the bandage from my leg and looked at it and readily said, ‘I can save this, but you have to follow whatever I say,’” Richard recalled. “He wanted to confine me on a Wednesday, but I told him I would go back for confinement on Friday, two days later. I had my seventh debridement for my leg at that time.”

Dr. Tongson later made Richard undergo 20 sessions of hyperbaric treatment in a chamber, where the singer was locked in for two hours with oxygen tanks.

“My wounds closed at nawala lahat ng bacteria. After 20 sessions of hyperbaric treatment, I went into skin grafting at Capitol Medical Center. Dr. Tongson gave me general anesthesia, which I personally preferred. So, I was sedated. He got skin from my upper thigh.”

Amazingly enough, Richard didn’t have to do therapy to be able to walk again.

“I was able to walk on my own,” he beamed. “Aside from God, my doctor and my wife, it’s my faith that sustained me. It’s my believing that I could walk again.”

Roni never left his side throughout his repeated confinement in different hospitals. Never mind if she herself underwent colon surgery and was still recuperating at that time.

“It was really a miracle,” Roni was sure. “You could really see Richard’s faith in God. That God is there. God has a perfect plan for all of us. He kept Richard alive.”

Richard wishes to thank all those who did fund-raising shows for him and Roni.

“You know who you are ­— friends, artists, musicians, relatives. I’m grateful to all of you. I know I was able to prove to everyone that there is hope. Do not give up. There is a God. You just have to believe. This thing brought me closer to God. It really was a miracle. That’s why I thank God every day. I start and end the day with a prayer.”

Richard will headline a special concert, I Wanna Hear A Classic, on June 1 at Bistro RJ in Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati. The show is staged by RJ Jacinto specially for Richard. RJ personally talked to Jose Mari Chan to join.

“That is why in the poster, I am in the middle. RJ and Joe Mari just on both sides. This is my return. I’m thanking RJ for this and Joe Mari, too. Also all the other people who are behind this production.”

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)