If anyone is still doubting the line ‘may forever,” that person just has to read about Viktoria Angela Cupay’s and fiancé Nicholas William Baldo’s inspiring love story that literally showed what ‘till death do us part' really means.
Their story was featured in the GMA Public Affairs produced docu-series, titled Brigada hosted by Kara David and aired on August 11, 2021.
Battling lupus, Stevens Johnson disease, and toxic epidermal necrolysis
Struck with three Life-threatening diseases In 2016, US-based Viktoria Cupay was diagnosed with lupus. The disease, which occurs when the body's own immune system attacks other tissues and organs, is serious and life-threatening. Three years after being diagnosed with lupus, Viktoria was struck with two other life-threatening diseases—Stevens Johnson disease and toxic epidermal necrolysis.
Stevens Johnson is a serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes usually a reaction to a medicine given, according to Mayo Clinc. Toxic epidermal necrolysis, on the other hand, is skin disorder characterized by a blistering and peeling of the skin, which can also be caused by a reaction to a medication, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
PHOTO BY VIKTORIA CUPAY VIA GMA PUBLIC AFFAIRSADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWMom bears witness to the miracle of love
Viktoria’s mother, Greta Cupay, rushed her daughter to the E.R. after she complained of chest pains.
“Di siya makahinga … Tapos meron na siyang rashes, parang butterfly rash na tinatawag. ‘Tapos mataas ang lagnat,” Greta tells Brigada.
A month after she was rushed to the hospital, Viktoria went into a comatose. “Di. Ko na mabilang kung ilang ulit siya nirevive,” Greta recalls.
Apart from her family, a consistent presence by her bedside then was her boyfriend and now fiancé Nicholas.
By then, the effect of the diseases were in full force. In a video shared on Brigada and also on Viktoria’s own Tik Tok account @justviktoria03, one can see her blistered skin which Mommy Greta says did not only appear on her face and hands but all over her body.
Modern Day Prince Charming
In his interview in Brigada, Nicholas shared that he always talk to Viktoria even while in a coma.
“Usually I would just tell her how everything’s gonna be okay and [that I] love her. I would tell her what’s going on with her health that day. If there was the news I would tell her.”
With strong support and modern medicine, Viktoria miraculously woke up from her coma after a month. Nicholas, wasting no time, took out a ring that he had been keeping and proposed to the love of his life right then and there.
“He proposed to me with his grandmother’s ring and with my mom’s blessing, shared Viktoria.
CONTINUE READING BELOWRecommended VideosIn a video documented by Victoria’s mom, Nicholas can be seen and heard proposing with these words: “I want to let you know that I will be here for you forever and as long as we both live, I will be there for you and so I have this ring with me and I would like to give it to you. Viktoria Angela Cupay, will you marry me?”
A still very weak Viktoria with a tube attached near her ears was unable to speak but responded with a weak nod and by extending her finger, a cue for Nicholas to put a ring on it.
‘The right person makes NO excuses’
Viktoria stayed for a total of 240 days in the hospital. That was all of two years ago and today, as can be seen in her own TikTok account, she has emerged like a beautiful butterfly—her blistered skin gone and her strength and vibrancy back.
PHOTO BY YOUTUBE/ GMA PUBLIC AFFAIRSADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWIn her Brigada interview, Viktoria tells David that she wanted to give up so many times. “Sometimes I would tell my family, I want to give up but they would tell me if you don’t want to fight for yourself then fight for us.”
And fight she did, never knowing this day of being alive would come.
Together in that hard journey with her family was fiancé Nicholas whose consistent presence throughout her fight made Viktoria feel honored.
‘When I was at my worse, Nick chose to see the best in me,” she said. On Dec 9 this year, Viktoria posted the same proposal video taken by her mom on her TikTok account. The video was followed by the couple’s beautiful engagement photo with a caption that read, “The right person will make NO excuses and will choose to love you even at your worst.”
In the hashtags, Viktoria wrote where are my fellow #2022bride at? suggesting that she and Nicholas are set to say their ‘I dos’next year. That same proposal video garnered 7.3 million views—that’s a whole lot of people witnessing what ‘May Forever” truly means.
Congratulations Viktoria and Nick!
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