TV personality and Tempo columnist Kim Atienza has spoken publicly for the first time since the passing of his 19-year-old daughter Emman, revealing both a father’s heartbreak and a message of faith and awareness.
“I’d like to think that my daughter Emman did not die in vain,” Atienza told Jessica Soho in an interview. “I know that nothing happens by accident, and I know that all things work out well. Everything is planned by the Lord… This is not in vain. May dahilan. That gives me peace.”
Atienza revealed that before her death, Emman had reached out to her family.
“Mom, I’m in an emergency right now, but worry not. There’s no self-harm. But I need to go to a therapy center,” she texted two days before her passing.
Atienza recalled the moment he learned the news: “Napaluhod ako. Nanlambot ang tuhod ko. … I called Fely (his wife), and Fely said, ‘Emman’s gone.’ Nanlamig ako.”
Atienza revealed that Emman had battled PTSD and bipolar disorder, often masking her pain with humor and confidence.
“Emman, I thought, was very strong… But I didn’t know that deep inside she was also suffering.”
In the wake of her death, the tragedy has ignited a nationwide conversation on mental health, especially among Filipino families where emotional struggles are often silenced.
Mental-health advocates noted that Atienza’s candor could help break the stigma surrounding therapy and emotional vulnerability.
