I got a little teary-eyed when I saw the video of my good friend, Quezon team manager Atty. Donn Rico Kapunan, walking under his own power to make a surprise appearance at the Huskers’ training at the Epsilon Chi Center in Quezon City on Sunday night.

It was such an emotional moment as the Huskers all lined up to express their respect, gratitude, and sheer joy over his recovery that seemed impossible a few months ago.

You see, the cause of Donn’s injury was tragic.

On 3 March, he was on board a helicopter together with a Malaysian associate to check out potential dairy farmlands in Guinyangan town in Quezon. It was supposed to be a routine flight. The weather conditions were perfect and Donn was at ease since he had already flown with the pilot in the past.

As they hovered around 2,000 feet past the Pililia Wind Farm in Rizal, the chopper completely lost its power. The captain tried to steer back and desperately look for a spot to make an emergency landing before entering the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. Fortunately, it found one in a vacant lot near a residential area.

Upon impact, Donn was conscious, but he couldn’t feel his legs. He checked out his fellow passengers, and they were bleeding from the nose, mouth and ear.

Later, he learned that all of his seatmates in the back, including 35-year-old Malaysian Jacob Mathan, a director of Farm Fresh Berhad, failed to make it.

Donn said he fought for survival, not for himself, but for his children — Deanna, Cheska and Vito. In fact, these kids already lost their mother, Anna, to cancer seven years ago, so losing their father would be too much for them to bear.

After being confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center to treat multiple fractures, Donn was finally able to go home to be with his children. He underwent rehabilitation and can now walk with a back brace to make sure that his spinal cord will not be dislocated while it is still regaining its strength.

That’s why the Huskers were glad to see him drop by their training. His nephew, Quezon Huskers assistant team manager Jaggie Gregorio, was there to welcome him as well as head coach Eric Gonzales and assistant coach Nash Racela.

To the Huskers, Donn’s recovery isn’t just the result of surgery or physical therapy; it is a miracle. Seeing him back doing what he loves to do after a harrowing experience that nearly cost his life is truly heartwarming. It is a memory that they will carry as they chase their first title in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

Currently, the Huskers sit at second in the South Division with a pristine 3-0 record. While teams like Abra, San Juan and Caloocan have beefed up their rosters, Quezon remains a powerhouse and a title favorite after falling just short in the National Finals of the past two seasons.

With their team manager on his way to recovery, expect the Huskers to play with a different kind of fire this season. They aren't just playing for the sake of winning — they are playing for the man who survived the ultimate battle of his life just to see them wear that shiny MPBL crown.

Good luck, Donn! Keep on walking the road to full recovery.