This OFW's Appreciation Post About Her Ate As An 'Extended Parent' Has Gone Viral Because It's True

What started as an appreciation post to her sister has become an ode to every "Ate," for being an extended parent and more.

On August 31, Grezeila Fortes shared an appreciation post for her older sister, Girl-lyn Fortes, on Facebook. 

In an exclusive interview with Smart Parenting, the 33-year-old mechanical engineer revealed that she wrote the post to honor her sister, whom she and her two other siblings call "Ate Nanay." She didn't expect it would go viral in a few days, reaching up to 8 million online users to date.

"Surreal. I didn’t expect that the experience and emotion of a sibling to an Ate would touch a lot of people. It made me realized na hindi lang pla ako yung nakaka feel nun," she told Smart Parenting.

Graxia said she wrote the piece at midnight and only wanted to express her gratitude to Girl-lyn, "for her sacrifices, her strength na kayanin lahat, her positive outlook and aura, her faith."

Living in Japan away from her family, Graxia wrote in another post about how her viral post has made her feel, "God is so good. During this time that I was alone, far from home, He made sure that this emotion was valid. It’s being experienced by most of the ate, sibling, or a friend around the world."

Graxia gave Smart Parenting permission to share her post. Minor edits were made for clarity.

Viral: OFW's appreciation post to her older sister 

“Sino pa bang susuporta kung hindi tayo.”

Isang mahigpit na yakap sa mga ate na naging extended parent na sa mga kapatid at mga pamangkin.

Not everyone might realize nor appreciate the genuine “ate love.” I couldn’t even compare it to a “mother’s love.” Kasi, kapag mahal ka ng nanay mo, although that’s very genuine, given 'yun kasi we are literally once a part of her.

Pero yung ate?  

She’s a different single individual from us.

Formed in a different timeline.

And might also have a different personality.

She can even choose to live her own life and be free.

So when she chooses to stay, care, and love you over herself, that’s a different level of selflessness.

So appreciate it. Reciprocate.

Not just by words or shallow tears, but with most sincere efforts to be better.

Tandaan mo, anak lang din sana siya tulad mo.

Pero mas pinili niya, at araw-araw pinipili na maging responsable para mapabuti tayo."

Read Graxia's original post here.

Graxia also made a Facebook reel version of her post. Watch it here.

Netizens have been sharing Graxia's post and tagging their sisters. One user said, "So true. So lucky that I have [one]."

Another user said, "Ate ang pangalawang nanay ng mga kapatid. Kakaiyak naman."

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Study: Having an older sister has a huge impact on a child's development, but—

In a 2020 study, Pamela Jakiela of Williams College in Massachusetts found that older sisters in Western Kenya played a crucial role in helping toddlers improve their early vocabulary and fine motor skills. How? They engaged the toddlers in stimulating play more than any other family member.

However, this also implies that older girls may have less time for their own schoolwork and play, which adds a burden to them. This issue needs to be addressed by society as a whole. "It's a charming story of everybody loving their old sister, seen through the lens of the younger child, but, you know, this uneven burden of care work has real costs for older girls," Jakiela told NPR. 

In Graxia's post, the least we can do to repay our older sisters for all their love and effort is to return the love and effort that they have freely given us, by working on to be the best version of ourselves.

Send this to your Ate today!