Greg makes kid’s day

MANILA, Philippines – There was an eight-year-old boy sitting in the patron section of the Smart Araneta Coliseum to watch the PBA game between Barangay Ginebra and Phoenix last Saturday. He came with his parents who are separated but agreed to accompany him and thank Ginebra center Greg Slaughter who provided the tickets.

Miko Cabreros got to meet Slaughter for the first time when he was confined at the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina last August. Slaughter responded to a tweet by Cabreros’ sister Mariam that the first thing he wrote after undergoing surgery was Slaughter’s name.

Cabreros had a bike accident one night and was rushed to the hospital with a gaping wound in the forehead. Worse, he had internal bleeding in the stomach. Doctors stitched up his forehead wound and performed surgery to address the internal bleeding. He was fed through the nose for a week.  Because of the head trauma, doctors wanted to find out if there was brain damage so they asked Cabreros to write or draw something in his hospital bed after recovering consciousness.

Cabreros wrote “Gregzilla, Greg Slaughter, Barangay Ginebra No. 20” and sketched a stick figure holding a basketball in front of a hoop. His sister posted a picture of what her brother wrote and drew on twitter. She also posted an emoji sad face, saying “when your little brother’s crying, asking for food but you are not allowed to give him anything yet.”

Then, Slaughter sent a DM on twitter and said he would visit Cabreros. “Started from a drawing, tweet, reply and a DM,” said Mariam on her Instagram account @marsecisst. “Might’ve looked simple for some but for a little fanboy, it was more than just a visit – it was his dream to meet him…words of encouragement from someone he looks up to…‘cause I think he doubted me a bit when I told him that he could still play after his surgery…but right after Greg’s visit, the doctors removed my brother’s NGT (nasogastric intubation) and advised that he could finally eat after seven days.”

Slaughter visited Cabreros with his mother Emma and girlfriend Chinna Juban with no fanfare. He brought food, balloons and a signed Ginebra jersey that lit up Cabreros’ face. Mariam said she never expected it. “Nag-tweet ako about my brother’s accident and wish then Kuya Greg DM’ed me na pwede siya mag-visit sa brother ko,” she said. “Sabi kasi ni Miko, Ate, gusto ko makita si Greg.” 

Cabreros, the youngest of four, is in Grade 3 at Southville 8C in Montalban, Rizal. “Avid fan ako ng PBA, especially San Miguel Beer but for some reason, Ginebra ‘yung sinusupport ng kapatid ko,” said Mariam. “At first, sa TV lang siya nanunuod. Last May, sinama ko siya sa live game ng Ginebra sa Antipolo against Alaska which unfortunately, they lost. Lagi siyang na-amaze sa height ni Greg at sa spare time, puro highlight plays ang pinanunod niya sa YouTube, mga blocks and dunks.”

Cabreros’ parents Expedito and Cresencia are not formally employed. “Ang mama namin nagtitinda ng street food sa tapat ng bahay then ang dad namin, walang formal job because of health reasons,” said Mariam. “Both are separated but got together to watch the game with Miko and me.”

Slaughter met up with the Cabreros family after the game last Saturday and posed for pictures. Cabreros, now fully recovered from the accident, stood up to the 7-foot Slaughter’s waistline and walked around mesmerized, like in a trance. He wore the autographed Ginebra jersey that Slaughter gave and also had pictures taken with Joe De Vance and courtside reporter Carla Lizardo who related his story on TV.