Former PBA star Marc Pingris opened up about his journey to meet his father.

Growing up, Marc did not have a father by his side. When asked by Karen Davila what kind of a dad Marc is, he replied that he sometimes finds it hard to answer as he did not have a father figure.

“Alam mo minsan nahirapan ako sagutin dahil lumaki ako ng walang daddy. Ang hirap kasi di ko napagdaanan eh. Sa akin talagang ginagawa ko lang as a dad, binibigay ko ‘yung needs nila, ‘yung pagmamahal ng isang ama na hindi ko naranasan before,” he told Karen in the broadcaster's YouTube vlog.

He shared that his mother and siblings are his inspirations when it comes to parenting.

“Nakukuha ko na lang sa brother ko kung paano niya ako inalagaan before so lahat ng tinuro niya sa akin, iyon ‘yung mga tinuro ko sa mga anak ko. Si mother ko rin and my sister, kung ano ‘yung paga-guide nila sa akin before, iyon ‘yung ginagawa ko sa mga anak ko,” he said.

Marc relayed that it was his wife Danica Sotto who became instrumental for him to meet his father.

“I’m so blessed na na-meet ko si Danica dahil siya ‘yung nakahanap ng daddy ko. Nung malapit na kaming ikasal ni Danica, na wala akong idea papunta akong practice, hinahanap na pala niya ‘yung father ko that time,” he said.

Danica found the brother of his father and Marc later on had the chance to talk to his dad on the phone.

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“Nag-usap kami ng dad ko sa phone. Sorry to say wala talaga akong naramdaman na pagmamahal. Mas iniisip ko ‘yung mother ko that time. Nagselos kasi mama ko that time. Sinabi ko talaga kahit anong mangyari hindi kita ipagpapalit. Kasi umiiyak siya eh, ‘Baka mas mahal mo na daddy mo,’ ganyan-ganyan. [Sabi ko] ‘no, Ma.’ So nag-decide kami pagkatapos ng wedding pumunta kami ng France to meet my dad,” he said.

READ: Danica Sotto, Marc Pingris reveal the gender of their baby

Marc confessed that at some point, just an hour before they met his father in Paris, he became hesitant to meet him in person and was thinking of just returning to the Philippines. His wife Danica convinced him to at least meet his father then they can already leave. Marc decided to push through meeting him.

The basketball athlete said that meeting his father felt that he became whole as a person for the first time.

“Nung nandon na kami sa airport sa Paris, kasi matangkad ‘yung dad ko eh, same height kami, 6’4” din ‘yung dad ko. Nung nakita ni Danica, [sabi niya] ‘’Yung dad mo nandon na.’ So nung nakita ko, yeah kamukha ko nga rin. Nang papalapit nang papalapit, talagang ang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko. Sobrang kinakabahan ako, nanginginig ako, hindi ko alam kung ano ‘yung gagawin ko talaga pero nung niyakap niya ako, nawala ‘yung galit ko, solid. Nung niyakap niya ako at tinawag niya akong my son three times, first time in my life nakaramdam ako na buo ‘yung pagkatao ko. Nabuo ‘yung pagkatao ko,” he stated.

When asked what he felt that time, he replied, “Love and forgiveness. Hindi ako makapaniwala na ganun kabilis. 26 years tapos isang yakap lang nawala na agad. Minsan nga sa pelikula napapanood mo hindi naman ‘yan totoo eh pero nung nangyari sa akin totoo nga. I don’t know, sabi nga ni Danica si Lord ‘yun kasi sobra ‘yung galit sa kanya.