1994–2006: Family life and life on the streets Darwin Ramos was born on December 17, 1994, in Doña Marta Maternity Hospital, in
Pasay. Darwin spent his early years with his family along P. Villanueva St., Pasay. Their house was in a slum between
EDSA and
Libertad LRT stations. Darwin was the second child of nine children of a very poor family. His mother worked as a laundrywoman to earn some money to provide for her family while his father was an alcoholic. In order to help his family, Darwin became a waste picker in the street, with his sister Marimar who was two years younger. They spent their day going through garbage to recover plastic waste which they sold. The children did not go to school because of grave financial situation. At 7 years old, he was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disease characterized by muscle weakness. This began as weakness in the legs. Then, his mother noticed that Darwin was stumbling increasingly. Progressively, Darwin could no longer stand as his muscles weakened further. Poverty pushed the family to live on the street. His father took advantage of Darwin's illness and he would position Darwin every morning at the Libertad station to beg from passers-by. In 2006, a group of street educators of the
Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation ("A Bridge for Children Foundation"), came into contact with Darwin while he was panhandling at the Libertad station, and offered to take him in. He never complained and always smiled even during most difficult times. He had the habit of offering his sufferings. When he was speaking of his own illness, he did not talk about his myopathy but of what he called as being his "mission". One day, he said to the priest of the Foundation: "You know Father, I think Jesus wants me to hold on until the end, just like he did". Darwin developed a deep personal relationship with Christ; not a day passed that the young boy did not take time out to entrust himself to him. A caregiver from the foundation testified: "One day, when Darwin was feverish, he insisted to be helped in getting out of bed to join the others in the center so that he could lead the evening prayer. It was Jesus before anything else."
September 2012: Darwin's final week On Sunday, September 16, 2012, the nurse of the foundation decided to bring Darwin to the
Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC) in
Quezon City because he had difficulty breathing. When the priest in charge of the
Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation arrived at his bedside, the first thing that Darwin did was to excuse himself for causing the priest worries. Darwin added as he breathed laboriously: "Thank you for everything Father". On Monday, September 17, Darwin was
intubated and was no longer able to talk. He was able to write in a notebook. Darwin then received the
anointing of the sick. On Friday, September 21, he looked peaceful and had a big smile. He wrote his two last sentences in a notebook: "A huge thank you" and "I am very happy" He died on Sunday, September 23, 2012, at sunrise, at the PCMC in Quezon City. The funeral mass was celebrated in a full church, attended by all the children of the Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation. Darwin was buried at the Pasay City Public Cemetery. ==Legacy==