“Everything happens for a reason. Ano yun?” asked Marco Sison. “That I have to find out. Hihintayin ko yun in the coming days, months or years kung ano yun.”

It has been less than a month since the sudden passing of Andrei Sison, the grandson of the veteran balladeer, and he still cannot see a possible reason for it happening.  

“He’s so full of life, di ba? So promising, so talented… and then, wala lang. Hanggang doon lang,” he lamented. “Hindi man lang niya naranasan yung… sarap ng buhay ng isang tao.”

Andrei was just about to launch his career in show business. Aside from being the son of That’s Entertainment alum Alain Marco Salvador and nephew of actor-director Ricky Rivero, he was also part of the industry’s Salvador clan on his father’s side. He was also treated as family by Karla Estrada and Daniel Padilla as his mother Ana Marie Liza Lim is Karla’s sister.

Andrei was only 17 years old, not even out of his teen years yet, when his life was cut short by a car accident.

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It was 3 am on March 24, 2023, while driving along the stretch of Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, that Andrei passed away due to a vehicular accident.

Marco remembered an incident when Andrei was a baby.

“Pero nakakapagtaka, may nangyari diyan, e, when he was about 18 months,” he recalled. “Nahulog yan sa third floor ng condo na tinutuluyan nila. Walang nangyari sa kanya, e. Walang nangyari. Parang meron lang siyang scratch.”

How bittersweet, it seemed to Marco, that Andrei survived a drop from the third floor as an infant, only to die in a vehicle that should have had extra security measures.

“And then… eto, sakay ka ng kotse, naka-seatbelt ka, di ba? Lahat ng proteksiyon, airbag, everything… o, wala na,” he said.

It was Alain who broke the news to Marco. Never did he think it was a prank, as it wasn’t something a father would joke about. He did question why it happened to his young grandson.

“Bakit kaya?” he asks until now.

Marco only has fond memories of his grandson. Though they don’t see each other as often, Marco described his family as fun and accepting of each other.

“Minsan-minsan lang kami magkita pero masaya kami,” he shared. “Nagkakaintindihan kami lahat. Tapos walang inggitan. Bawal sa amin yun.”

He remembers Andrei as an obedient son.

“Sobrang bait nun. Walang bisyo,” he recalled. “Nung pandemic days, kahit bumili ng kendi sa tindahan, hindi siya nakakalabas. So pag sinabi ng tatay niya, ‘Huwag na,’ hindi siya umaalis. Ganun lang.”

He also recalled exchanging messages with Andrei on Messenger and joking around with him.

While he is also grieving, Marco is more worried about his son and how he is taking Andrei’s passing.

“Mas worried ako dun sa anak ko, actually,” he admitted. “Nitong Holy Week, tinawagan ko siya. Kinumusta ko. Medyo OK na siyang magsalita. Clear yung voice niya. Unlike before during the wake, talagang lutang na lutang. Parang hindi ka kilala.

“Kasi, it’s not a normal thing, di ba? Siyempre, the parent usually moves on first, di ba? Not a kid, di ba?,” said Marco.

While Marco does believe that there is a purpose for everything, he is still at a loss as to what good reason there could possibly be for Andrei being taken away so early.

“Everything happens for a reason, sige!” said Marco. “Aabangan ko yun kung ano yung rason na yun. Ngayon, hindi natin alam kung ano yun.”