In Their Memory: A Tribute to Gab Gamboa and Coach Jon Gallego

Earlier this year, the MGC New Life Christian Academy (MGCNLCA) family lost two beloved members—grade-schooler Cris Gabriel “Gab” Gamboa, who succumbed to cancer, and basketball coach Jon Gallego, who fell victim to COVID-19.

As a tribute to the two whom the Lord has called home, Hans Gamboa, brother of Gab, and Enzo Chua, a player under Coach Gallego, shared how these people left a lasting legacy in their lives and the lives of the people around them.

“Gab is special. Most people know him as a brave boy, but to those close to him, he was so much more than just that. There are a lot of things that I miss about Gab. Of course, his unique personality has to be near the top of the list. Gab’s laugh was contagious, and he could make even the most nonsense jokes that cause us to laugh. He had a certain quality in him that brought people together. Gab almost always took away any feeling of awkwardness that was present. He knew how to get along with people older than him, as well as guide the people who were younger than him. I know this may sound silly, but one of the things I continue to reminisce about as I get older is Gab singing in the car. He brought a level of energy not just to singing but to everything he did, and that made the atmosphere around him more lively. I’m sure his friends will miss him for that. For me, what I miss about him the most is the special connection we had. You see, to me, Gab was more than just a brother. I’ve seen other siblings who don’t seem to care about each other, and I just think, how? With both of us, it was definitely not like that. It felt as if Gab always had my back. During the times when something was weighing on my mind, I knew that even spending time with him would make me feel much better. There are certain things that only both of us understand (Gia just turned 4). We made up our own words, and sometimes, we would just look at each other and burst out laughing. I spent my entire life, or at least that which is within my memory, with him. We did basically everything together. When we were younger, we would wake up at around 6:30 AM every morning to play either inside or outdoors. Then, before sleeping at night, while lying in our beds, we would talk for around 20 to 30 minutes about whatever we wanted. He also tried many of the activities he saw me do. I have to admit, he was better than me in some things, including basketball. It’s safe to say that he looked up to me. My parents even said one time that the only reason he joined Math Varsity was to make me proud. I refused to believe it at the time but looking back, I believe that was true. However, after seeing him fight the sickness in his body for the past year, I think the tables have turned. The amount of pain he endured, and the fact that he still retained his positive attitude through it, was truly amazing. It honestly felt as if nothing was wrong at times. And most importantly, Gab’s faith never wavered. On the Saturday before he passed away, he took a screenshot (which I later found) of a YouTube video with the title, “Do you Believe in Miracles?” My parents simply dismissed it as an accident, but I think not. After looking back on Gab’s life, I can confidently say,” I’m proud to be his brother.”

• Hans Gamboa, brother of Gab Gamboa

Coach Gallego, Coach Jon or even Papi Gallego, he indeed goes many by different names. The first time I met Coach Gallego was when I had decided to rejoin the MGC New Life basketball varsity team after taking a year-long break. He looked like this coach that didn’t have the same “daunting” aura and was very warm and welcoming. Was I right? Yes, I was! If I were to describe Coach Gallego in a few words, he was our father figure and second dad. He would always be there to help carry things we needed and was concerned whenever someone in the team was sick or had an injury. His love and patience were clearly shown as he enjoyed helping out the smaller kids. Everyone in the team looked up to him because he wasn’t just a great coach, but a great basketball player back in the day. He enjoyed sharing his experiences and constantly reminded us not to follow in his “kalokohan” ways. I miss the conversations he had with us and the jokes he used to make whenever practice gets too tiring or serious. He knew the right words to say to me every time the coach gets tough during games. He would explain to me what I did wrong and jokingly suggest how to do better next time. In addition, Coach Gallego never fails to remind us of the “small things.” He would repeat again and again for us to wear the right jersey color, to arrive on time, and to not sleep late when we had games early in the morning. There are times when it could be annoying when Coach Gallego nags me about those small things, but thinking back now, he only did this because of his love for us. When we shifted to the online zoom training, he never lost that same energy. He would quickly be the first voice to say, “Boys on cam na! Papasok na si Coach!” Coach Gallego did everything for the love of the game, and it can be evidently seen in the way he treated the whole team as his big family. For me, Coach Gallego will not just be remembered as a great father, player, coach, mentor, uncle, friend, or brother, but as someone who touched the lives of those even outside the realm of basketball. Thank you, Coach Gallego!

• Enzo Chua, player of Coach Gallego

When the Lord calls those home, there is no sickness, only Christ, no tears, only joy, no pain, only comfort. Even though these people are no longer here, hope remains that one day, there will be a great family reunion in Heaven.