Boxing legend Leopoldo Serantes, who won a bronze medal in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, died on Wednesday, the Philippine Sports Commission said. He was 59.
Best remembered for his Summer Games feat, as well as his gold medal win in the 1985 Bangkok Southeast Asian Games, Serantes had been suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
He also contracted COVID-19 in April, which led to his confinement at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center.
It was just two weeks ago when rotisserie chicken store Chooks-to-go gave him a lifetime reward of P100,000 allowance per month, helping him cope with his hospital bills.
"Si Leopoldo Serantes, isa yang alamat sa boxing. Nung naguumpisa pa lang kami, nandiyan na siya. Siya na yung tinitingala na namin. Nung nag-Olympics siya, dun na nagumpisa yung pagkaidolo namin sa kanya," 1996 Atlanta games silver medalist Onyok Velasco had said, after he helped Chooks-to-go track Serantes to extend help.
The recent Tokyo Olympics had exposed the struggle for financial support faced by Olympians before and after competing in the Games.
Serantes' daughter Leodelia, who received the reward, was quoted recalling how her father would lament being forgotten after his 1988 victory.
"Kaya ako, naawa po ako sa papa ko dahil pag nagkwekwento siya sa akin tungkol sa mga nabigay niyang karangalan noon pero ngayon parang binalewala po siya. Parang nilagay na lang siya sa isang tabi na hindi na siya kilala ng karamihan," she said.
Serantes was recently inducted into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame, but was unable to attend the virtual online ceremony.
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