Leo Ralph Publico Villamayor, the Filipino nurse who became an unsung hero in a stabbing incident on Parnell Square in Dublin, Ireland last month, is finally celebrating the holidays with his family in the Philippines after eight years.
This is all thanks to a successful GoFundMe campaign that was launched by one Mae Soriano to express kindness and appreciation for the bravery and heroism he showed during the November 23 stabbing incident that injured three children.
Leo was on his way to his graduation that day at the Gresham Hotel but found himself in the middle of the incident. By instinct, Leo provided immediate CPR to one of the injured children, whose face was already turning blue and quickly running out of oxygen.
Eventually, the emergency services arrived quickly on the scene, thus allowing Leo to head to his graduation—lost tie, bloody hands, and all.
“There are so many “GoFundMes” for the heroes in Parnell Square East incident last week and I couldn’t find anyone set up for Leo. I believe he deserves to have one as well because in many eyes he’s also one of those heroes,” said Soriano.
“Leo demonstrated exceptional bravery by providing immediate CPR on one of the young victims before the ambulance arrived,” wrote Soriano on the GoFundMe page. “He is currently receiving counseling following the traumatic event. And we would like to support him by buying him a pint,” she added.
The fundraiser didn’t just buy Leo a pint but earned as of press time €7,681 or about Php468,000 from 155 generous hearts.
And while he wasn’t expecting the “reward” from strangers, Leo said he is most grateful for the early Christmas gift, revealing that he intends to use the money to visit his family in the Philippines, whom he has not seen since 2015.
Now, he’s gearing up for a joyous Christmas and New Year celebration with loved ones back home.
“Thanks to your generosity and kindness, I now have the chance to celebrate Christmas and New Year with my family in the Philippines after 8 long years of missing out. Video calls are not enough. Your contributions to the GoFundMe campaign have made this a reality,” he shared.
“The warmth and love I’ve received from all of you is the most beautiful gift, especially as the year comes to a close. Spending precious time with my family is invaluable, and I can’t thank you enough for making it possible,” he added.
