‘Gusto niya daw ‘yung wake niya is anime theme’: Family expresses gratitude to artists after fulfilling daughter’s last wish

Caiona’s family expressed gratitude to the artists who worked together to fill her casket with anime characters—her last wish before she passed away.

“It’s very her. Like, the art, the colors, it’s very her. It’s very Caiona. If she could see it, she would be very happy. She would be very happy to meet the artist. She would be very happy that artists are coming together to help another artist,” Caiona’s aunt Jenny said.

According to Caiona’s mother, Marylen Villanueva Magnanao, they wanted to grant her daughter’s last wish.

“Dun sa coffin niya, kasi ‘yun ‘yung wish niya. Sabi ng sister niya, si Weyca, ‘yung nakababatang kapatid, ‘Mama, hindi ko talaga makalimutan ‘yung sabi ni ate. Thirteen years old pa siya that time. Sabi niya if wala na siya, gusto niya daw ‘yung theme nung wake niya is anime theme,’” she recalled.

Adding, “So, kahit sa huling sandali, gusto namin iparandam namin sa kanya na nandito lang kami, nakasuporta sa kanya sa mga bagay na gusto niya dahil mahal na mahal po namin siya.”

Even though she was far away, Jenny took part in finding artists who could draw on her niece’s casket.

“I said, ‘This will be the final wish I get to grant Caiona as her tita.’ So I asked the parents, ‘Do you want anime drawn on Caiona’s casket as she would have wanted?’” And when they said yes, I made the post for that artist page,” Jenny said.

“Gea messaged me that she can do it. She actually volunteered to do it along with her organization. And we’re so grateful for their generosity. And we’re filled with joy because, you know, we’re strangers. They didn’t know Caiona. They didn’t know us. But they were very generous with their talent to share and to fulfill Caiona’s wishes,” she added.

For 21-year-old artist Gea Pernites, it was their way of remembering the life and artwork of their fellow artist, Caiona.

“They wanted na mag-pay po sana sa commission for the coffin, but I wanted to do it for free, for Caiona, even though hindi ko siya kilala because as a co-artist, I want to send her off for something that she also loves doing, which is art,” Gea shared.

“Eight days po ‘yung duration niya. Medyo putol-putol po kasi ‘yung paggawa namin kasi busy po for finals. Actually they wanted na colored ‘yung ido-draw sa coffin but  ‘yung mga artworks niya, ‘di siya gaanong mahilig sa mga vibrant colors. So we asked the family na pwede ba na black and white siya na type,” she said when asked about the process of the said artwork.

The casket features different characters from anime series like Death Note, One Piece, Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Naruto, and Hunter x Hunter.

Marylen said that her daughter grew up in the world of anime and drawings.

“Nung bata pa si Caiona, nakitaan na namin ng pagkahilig sa arts and I think three years old siya nung nag-start na siya mag-drawing. Iona is shy type talaga na bata. Mahilig talaga siya manuod ng anime Kahit na maliit pa siya. Napaka-wide ng knowledge niya about anime. Magaling na nga din siyang mag-speak ng Japanese,” she noted.

Jenny echoed, “In our family, she’s the artistic one. She’s our artist and we did support that.Drawing, sewing, nagtatahi din siya, making dolls, everything that’s art-related, she gets engrossed in that.”

Even if it was hard for their family to accept the passing of Caiona, they promised to make her artwork and masterpiece alive.

“We miss you so much na. And kahit masakit, wala kaming choice kundi lumaban at mapatuloy kahit wala ka na. I thank God na binigay kami sa amin kahit 15 years lang. I am the proudest mother. Kung nasaan ka man ngayon ate, I hope you already found peace and happiness in the afterlife sleeping soundly in the arms of angels with God. Love you so much keep doing arts in heaven,” Marylen emotionally said.