SCTEX Crash Survivor Forgives Driver After Losing Family

Trigger Warning: The following contains details of a tragic accident.

After being hospitalized for days, Jerry Tuazon faced a pain far greater than his physical wounds—his wife, their 8-year-old daughter, and close friends who had joined them on a church trip were all gone, taken by the tragic SCTEX crash on May 1, 2025.

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Father and Survivor of SCTEX Crash Speaks Out

Jerry, the sole survivor of a van involved in the May 1 SCTEX crash, spoke out in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News after waking up in the hospital to learn his family was gone. 

"Nadurog 'yung puso ko. Sobrang bigat," Jerry said, his voice breaking as he recalled the moments before the crash.

"'Yung mga sakay ko, pinagkatiwala sa akin—hipag ko, anak ko, asawa ko, kapitbahay. Sa akin pinagkatiwala 'yon. Wala akong nagawa... durog talaga ako."

They had been on their way to a children's camp in Pangasinan, with plans to head to Baguio after. "Tuwang-tuwa sila," Jerry recalled. "Pinalitan ang apat na gulong... kakain kami. Dumaan kami sa gas station, umihi sila, sumakay, umalis na kami."

Shortly after returning to the road, their van was involved in a multi-vehicle crash on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

The crash occurred when a Solid North bus rear-ended the van, setting off a chain reaction with several other vehicles.

"'Yung pagkakataon na 'yun, kami 'yung ginawang preno ng bus. Wala akong naramdaman, ni marinig wala. Hanggang ngayon iniisip ko, pinipilit ko—wala akong narinig. Nagising ako, nasa ospital na ako," Jerry shared. He was hospitalized for several days, unaware of the full extent of the tragedy.

"Sabi ko, 'Doc, kailangan ko umuwi. I-transfer niyo ako sa Antipolo. Makita ko lang po sana ang pamilya ko,'" he recalled. 

Jerry sustained no fractures or significant injuries, a recovery that doctors described as a miracle. "Wala akong bali, hindi nabiyak ulo ko, wala talaga."

He reflected on the tragedy, saying, "'Yung nangyari na 'yun, tanggap ko na ito ay pinahintulutan ng Panginoon. Para sa akin, sila ay natutulog lamang."

"Masaya na ako na pinahiram kayo ng Panginoon ng ilang araw, panahon, at taon. Magkikita tayo muli," Jerry expressed to his lost loved ones.

Jerry's wife, a doctor at a government hospital, had been his partner for 12 years.

In a gesture that moved many, Jerry said he had forgiven the bus driver involved in the crash. "Okay na po ako. Napatawad ko po 'yung driver," he said. "Ayoko pong ipasara ang Solid North. 'Yung mga driver doon may pamilya rin po sila. 'Yung mga pasahero, kailangan din sila."

He even appealed to the company for reforms. "Kung may pagkukulang ang kumpanya, 'yun ang punan ninyo—regular na drug test, seminar, at oras ng trabaho dapat sakto lang. Tao sila, hindi sila robot. Para safe lahat, safe sakay mo."

Jerry's story has gained widespread attention online, with many expressing condolences and praising his strength and faith. Despite his immense loss, his decision to forgive the bus driver and call for compassion has deeply moved netizens.

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