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BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Tuesday, September 5, 2017
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MANILA – GlobalPort Batang Pier guard Mark Cardona returned to the PBA more than a year after a failed attempt to take his own life.
The former De La Salle University Green Archers star tallied 4 points and 2 rebounds in eight minutes of play in the Oppo PBA Governors’ Cup on Sunday as his team lost 99-109 to his ex-squad NLEX Road Warriors.
“Sobrang happy ako na nakapaglaro uli ako sa PBA,” said Cardona. “Noong unang pasok ko nga sa court, feeling ko parang rookie ako uli. Hindi ko nga alam ang itsura ng court basta masaya ako nasa PBA uli ako.”
“Sa totoo lang, hindi ko in-expect na makakabalik pa ako sa PBA since iyong nangyari sa akin last year,” Cardona said, pertaining to his suicide attempt by overdosing himself with sleeping pills.
He admitted that his dwindling PBA career – then head coach Boyet Fernandez kept him in Road Warriors’ reserve list – being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and his marital woes – were factors.
But “kung ano man iyong nangyari sa akin, alam ko na may pagkakamali ako. It’s time to move on,” said Cardona, who was joined in GlobalPort by fellow ex-Green Archers’ Mike Cortez, Ryan Arana, Philip Paredes, Rico Maierhofer, and Arnold Van Opstal.
Batang Pier head coach Franz Pumaren said Cardona earned his spot in the team and was not signed as an accommodation (Cardona was his former Green Archers player).
“Basketball fans might think that it’s more on an accommodation but he proved that he deserves to be in the team,” said Pumaren. “I think, down the road, he can help us.”
“You know, in life, there’s always room for people to change if you give them a chance,” added Pumaren. “If he stumbles and there is a chance for you to pick him up, why wouldn’t you?”/PN
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