A day after his story went viral among netizens — him having attended his college graduation on a wheelchair and with an oxygen tank attached to him — Joemar Kenik Mangkok, who fought rheumatic heart disease for five years, passed away on Wednesday, March 27.

Mangkok’s sister Lyn Mangkok-Ayob confirmed in a call to INQUIRER.net the passing of her 25-year-old brother.

“Dito po siya ngayon [nakaburol] sa bahay ng mama namin. Dito po inuwi,” Ayob said. (He was brought home here in our mother’s house. His wake is here.)

“Ang dami nga pong tao ngayon dito mam, simula po kahapon nung nasa ospital pa kami, marami na rin daw pong tao dito na parang naghihintay nga po kay Joemar. Hanggang ngayon po marami pa ring tao,” she added.

(There are a lot of people here, since yesterday while we were still in the hospital, there have been a lot of people here, as if they were all awaiting Joemar. Up to this day, there are still a lot of people.)

Despite being critically ill, Mangkok graduated from college on Friday, March 22, with a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education, major in Mathematics, at the Southern Mindanao Institute of Technology Inc. in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao.

After receiving his diploma, he was rushed to St. Louis Hospital, Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat; he went into coma Friday evening before finally passing away before dawn.

Mangkok inspired netizens over the weekend after Ayob shared his heartwarming graduation photos and spoke about the courageous fight of her brother against the disease. JB

LOOK: Student attends college graduation on wheelchair, with oxygen tank