I don't have the heart...
By Toni
@toniganzon (77310)
Philippines
June 15, 2026 6:27pm CST
It's been a week since I heard from Craig of Rene Baterbonia's death. A 19-year old budding basketball star player who drowned during the training being done at a beach resort.
Before it was even reported on the news, Craig already mentioned it to me because he went to the same school and an elementary friend of his was part of that training as one of the varsity players.
Since then, news of Rene has been trending everywhere. Video clips of him with his mom and all, which I only hear from others but didn't watch at all.
I couldn't watch it. I couldn't bear the heartbreaking scene. I simply don't want to hear this depressing news. I am a mom and Craig is my one and only son. The thought of losing him is something that I dread.
I couldn't even bear to see a photo of Rene Baterbonia. I am deeply affected as a mom.
9 people like this
8 responses
@DaddyEvil (174707)
• United States
15h
Oh, my! There were actually two drownings that morning. The second young man was named Divine Adili and the deaths are under investigation for breaking the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 as possible homicides... I hope that isn't what happened to them. The police are still interviewing the other students and coach who were there at the time.
The manager who was running the resort at the time told the students to stay in the shallow water up near the beach but the drownings happened 300 meters from the shoreline.
Can you imagine how those students and coach will feel if hazing was going on and they accidentally drowned their friends?
4 people like this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
9h
Yes I know about the Nigerian too but the focus of the trending videos here is of Baterbonia which I'm avoiding. Though Adili is always in the news too, his family and friends are too far away. But he was featured in the stories as well. Plus I learned from my brother recently that Baterbonia is a distant relative of ours.
The relationship between Rene and his mother is very similar to me and Craig that's why.
As to the hazing, it's just a rumor. The coach has been fired and there are too many bad stories about him from his estranged wife and step-daughter making everything so controversial.
My son's friend who was there in training told him, no hazing happened and no such thing. He's in his senior years while Rene is an incoming freshman.
Adili is 21 while Rene is only 19.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174707)
• United States
7h
@toniganzon Yes, I read that. The coach who was fired was the only one who went in to meet with the police. The others who were there were called but sent attorneys instead of showing up for questioning. That sounds suspicious to me. If they didn't have anything to hide, why not go in and answer the questions? Why send attorneys?
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
9h
Yeah, I really can't handle it. I don't even want to hear stories about him anymore. He happens to be a distant relative.
@snowy22315 (209171)
• United States
18h
Some of those deaths are hard to deal with
3 people like this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
9h
Yes. I kept imagining what if it was Craig? So I couldn't bear to see any videos nor photos. My heart aches for the parents.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
9h
@LadyDuck Yes and it's too depressing. And I don't want to feel that at all.
Same with kids being raped. The moment I see news on tv, I switch channel. I can't tolerate such bad news about children being raped and killed.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502812)
• Italy
9h
@toniganzon - This is exactly what I thought, very hard for you to imagine to be in the shoes of that mother.
1 person likes this
