27/06/2025
The Last Rose Blooms Again: A Miracle Story of Faith and Healing
In a quiet village nestled in the hills of Batangas, Philippines, lived an elderly woman named Lola Remedios. She was 78 years old, her face a map of kindness, with soft wrinkles and eyes that seemed to carry a lifetime of prayers. She had spent her life selling native delicacies, raising five children on her own after her husband died young. She was the kind of woman who never missed Sunday Mass, always kept a rosary under her pillow, and gave food to children even when she had little.
One December morning, Lola Remedios collapsed while feeding her chickens. She was rushed to the town hospital, where after several tests, the doctors gave the family the news no one ever wants to hear.
"Stage 4 colon cancer," the doctor said gently. "It’s aggressive... and at her age, surgery and chemotherapy might not help much."
Her children were devastated. But Lola Remedios—she didn’t cry. She smiled faintly, held her rosary tightly, and whispered, “God is still here. I’ll leave this to Him.”
Over the next few weeks, her condition worsened. She lost weight, her hair fell out, and she was mostly bedridden. But every night, without fail, she would pray aloud—sometimes too weak to speak clearly, but always finishing the rosary. Word spread in their barangay about her condition, and neighbors came to visit, often ending up being comforted by her instead of the other way around.
Then came the night of January 8th.
Her youngest daughter, Maria, stayed by her side, holding her mother’s hand while reading Psalm 91 aloud:
"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge..."
Around midnight, Lola Remedios suddenly opened her eyes wide, sat up, and looked toward the corner of the room.
“I see Him,” she whispered. “I see Jesus… and Mama Mary. They’re smiling at me.”
Maria, frightened and in awe, cried. “Ma, what do you mean? Are you leaving us?”
Lola smiled again, this time with strength they hadn’t seen in weeks. “No. They said not yet. I still have something to finish.”
She fell asleep peacefully after that.
The next day, she asked for real food—for the first time in over two weeks. She sat up and laughed with her grandchildren. Within a few days, her strength returned miraculously. The family, confused but hopeful, took her back to the hospital for more tests.
The doctors were stunned. The tumor had disappeared. No traces. No metastasis. Her blood tests were normal. One of the doctors even asked, "Did she see a specialist in Manila we don't know about?"
“No,” Maria said, “she only prayed.”
News of the miracle spread fast. Some believed. Some doubted. But Lola Remedios? She didn’t need anyone else to explain it. “God is still here,” she said. “He gave me a little more time, and I’ll use it to thank Him.”
Years passed. Lola lived until she was 92. She planted a rose garden behind her home, saying, “Each flower is a thank-you for each day He gave me.”
The villagers still talk about her. Every January 8, people gather in her garden, now maintained by her grandchildren, to pray the rosary. The last rose bush she planted continues to bloom—always bright, always early—even in seasons it shouldn't.
They say it's her way of reminding everyone:
Faith can move mountains. And sometimes... it even removes cancer.