Wife Slips into Coma Days After Giving Birth, Husband Sings at Bedside Before She Passes Away
Rayan Cosme and his wife Arlene Padawag-Cosme first met in 1997 in their hometown of Baguio City, the Philippines.
Arlene often rode on Rayan’s jeepney, a popular Filipino means of public transportion. After learning they’d both attended the same university, the two teens quickly fell in love.
In 2006, the couple married and had two baby girls. By 2014, the family moved to New Zealand when Rayan got a new job.
When the couple learned they were expecting a third baby girl in 2017, they were ecstatic. But just days after baby Grayan’s November 20 birth, everything would change.
Arlene often complained of migraines and neck aches, but thought nothing more of them. Then, just four days after having Grayan, Arlene collapsed in her home.
“Looking back, she would often experience headaches and migraines, but we never thought too much of it. She gave birth to our beautiful baby girl and we couldn’t have been happier. Everything just felt right and our family felt complete,” Rayan explained.
Rayan rushed home to find his wife awake and believed everything was back to normal. But later that night, Arlene collapsed again and slipped into a coma.
She was immediately rushed to the hospital where doctors began an emergency brain surgery. Arlene had suffered a brain aneurysm at home and did not wake up from surgery.
For the next 11 days, Arlene remained in a coma in the hospital. Not willing to give up on the love of his life, Rayan tried everything he could to wake her.
He had their baby girl christened beside her, he renewed their wedding vows, and he sang her favorite song to her.
But sadly, nothing could pull Arlene from the coma, and on December 5, 2017, she passed away at 37 years old.
“I tried everything I could,” Rayan said. “But even though it didn’t wake her up, I still think it made her very happy in her last days.”
Now, Rayan is working to be the very best father he can be to their daughters.
“It was hard to get used to, especially the first three months. I wake them up, make breakfast, pack their lunches and send them to school,” he said.
“They go to a family friend’s house after school and I’ll pick them up from work. Then I’ll make dinner, wash their school uniforms, make sure they’re bathed and tuck them into bed. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to deal with this.”
Rayan and his daughters talk about their mother often in an effort to keep her memory alive.
“I sat my daughters down and explained to them that they wouldn’t be seeing their mum anymore. We all just sat together hugging and crying. I told them that their mum will always be in our memory and in our hearts.”
“I think about Arlene every second. I miss her so much and I always find myself tearing up at random times. She was such a beautiful person and her spirit lives on in my beautiful daughters.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with Rayan and his family during this difficult time.
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