Beginning today I will no longer worry about yesterday. It is in the past and the past will never change. Only I can change by choosing to do so.
It was September 25, 2000. Maricel Apatan was an 11-year old girl in Zamboanga, Philippines. On that day, this little girl went with her uncle to draw water.
Along the way, four men met them. They were carrying long knives. They told her uncle to face down on the ground, and they hacked him on the neck and killed him.
Maricel was in total shock, especially that the men were their neighbors. She tried to escape, but the men ran after her.
She cried, “Kuya, ‘wag po, ‘wag n’yo akong tagain! Maawa po kayo sa akin!” (“Don’t kill me! Have mercy on me!”)
But they weren’t listening. With a long knife, a man slashed her on the neck too.
Maricel fell to the ground and lost consciousness.
When she woke up, she saw a lot of blood. She also saw the feet of the men around her, but she pretended to be dead.
When they walked away, Maricel ran back home. But along the way, she saw that both her hands were falling off. Because the men hacked them too. She cried but she kept running.
Sometimes, she would faint and fall to the ground. But she’d regain consciousness and run again.
When she was near her home, Maricel called her mother.
Upon seeing her daughter, her mother screamed in terror. She wrapped her bloodied child in a blanket and carried her to the hospital.
Here was the problem: From her house to the highway, it was a 12-kilometer walk. It took them 4 hours just to reach the highway.
When they arrived in the hospital, the doctors thought Maricel was going to die. But for 5 hours, they operated on her. It took 25 stitches to stitch together the long knife wound in her neck and back.
Maricel barely survived. And she lost both of her hands.
Ironically, the next day was Maricel’s birthday. She was 12 years old.
But tragedy didn’t end there. When they went home, they saw their home was gone. It was ransacked and burned down by the goons.
Being very poor, Maricel’s family also didn’t have P50,000 for their hospital bills.
But God sent many angels along the way to help them.
Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, a distant relative, paid for hospital bills and helped them bring the criminals to court. They were sentenced to prison.
Today, she’s staying with the nuns at Regina Rosarii with Sr. Eppie Brasil, O.P.
But this is the incredible miracle. Instead of staying down, Maricel kept running.
Instead of cursing God why she had no hands, she now uses her wrists in incredible ways that will boggle your mind.
Maricel was cited as the most industrious, best in computer, and most courteous in the School for Crippled Children.
In 2008, she graduated from a course in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She even received a Gold medal for Arts and Crafts. In 2011, she finished her education to be a chef. Yes, a Chef without hands.

Chef Maricel Apatan. What many people can’t and won’t do with both hands, she does with none. What’s your excuse? (Twitter by Ivan Mayina)
Nothing can stop this young lady from reaching her dreams.
Source: Academic Tips: True Story Real Winners Don’t Give Up
What an incredible story of strength and survival. Her face shows joy even through the horror that she experienced. I’ll be thinking of her story for a long time to come. Thanks for sharing this.
Hi Emily. I hope your thoughts will be of strength and determination to succeed in life regardless of the situation. You are welcome.
Sometimes those people burdened with the worst handicaps are the most able to teach the rest of us subtle lessons in life about ingenuity and gratitude. It looks as though Maricel is one of those people. I can’t imagine not having hands as I much as I use mine. This girl is amazing!
You are quite right, Orples. These people rise above to show us that they cannot be beaten. She is a hero.
Wow! What an amazing girl! What’s the reason behind the killing? I can’t imagine what she had gone through… This story will stay with me for a while… Helen
Thank you for reading, Helen. Sometimes, we will never know what precipitated this incident. But I must say, there is so much to learn from her survival. Perpetua.
Sometimes, we look out our windows in the comfort of our homes and we are totally oblivious to the heinous crimes levied on innocent people by their fellowmen. Who were these monsters? What did they want? I suppose after many years it does not matter so much. I guess I’m still trying to understand what would motivate anyone sane and sensible to commit such atrocity. I guess I’m still trying to understand why. Not that there could ever be any sound justification for the act.
But I can see that all we can do is be happy for this brave girl. She is a testimony to courage and persistence over such adversity.
She is definitely one of those unsung heroes that provides good examples for those who feel hard done by in life.
Wow! What an amazing story.
Indeed.
Reblogged this on The Blogging Path and commented:
Thanks for sharing this inspirational story. She is truly blessed with the fighting spirit to live.
Thank you for sharing with your readers.
An amazing story. I will certainly appreciate my two hands more after reading this story. Thank you.
You said it well! To be appreciative that we are still on this earth to do what we need to do. Thank you.
Such an inspiring young woman!
Isn’t she huh? I makes me to think the ump time before I will complain about my fingers.
Amazing, uplifting … and so inspiring.