Hasta La Vista Rudy                     

In 1979, former national record holder in the mile (1,600m) and Pesta Sukan (now known as SEA Games) 800m silver medalist  Rodolfo “Rudy” Fernandez was watching a war movie with his brother -in-law in a downtown theater when a bomb exploded under his seat.  The blast shattered Rudy’s right leg from above the knee while his brother-in-law died.  The depressed Rudy locked himself in his room and seldom  go out and according to him, even contemplated suicide.  In 1986, the Philippine Band of Mercy fitted Rudy an artificial fiber glass leg and embarked on a 105-kilometer-fund raising run from Sara town to Iloilo City in six days. The following year, Rudy ran from San Joaquin town also in Iloilo, to the city, this time with yours truly assisting the run.  That was the beginning of a long friendship that lasted for decades.  We ran thrice in the Standard  Chartered Hong Kong Marathon and also in the Singapore Marathon.  In 1996, he made waves when he swam  8km from Guimaras to Iloilo City. Then went farther when he completed the 13km Guimaras to Bacolod City in eight hours.  The feat earned Rudy an award dubbed “Hero Of Today” from Readers‘Digest.  In 2005, he joined the TV reality show ‘Pinoy Big Brother and was called Ironman of Asia.  In 2001, while training for the Sydney Paralympics, Rudy was hit by a van while cycling in Leganes town, in Iloilo, fracturing his right wrist and left leg.  Yours truly and former Milo Marathon race organizer Ron De los Reyes organized a fun raising event called “Run For Rudy”, that took care of his operation.  After recovering from the knife, Rudy and I were back on the streets as we embarked on a 240km,13 hour-Iloilo City to Jamidan, Capiz fund raising cycling called “Hero For Heroes”.  The event raised funds for the widows and orphans of Ilonggo armymen killed or wounded in Mindanao.  Rudy also joined several  triathlons like the Subic Timex International and Everyman triathlons.  Rudy said he wanted me to be by his side when he joins the Kona Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii this year, but that will never happen.  Rudy suffered a cardiac arrest last January 2, 2022 and died at age 75.  Hasta La Vista Rudy.  Swim, bike and run in peace.