The magnitude-7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao on 8 June has left countless families mourning loved ones taken by one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in recent years.

Among them is a father from General Santos City whose grief has touched thousands online.

At Pacman Village in Barangay Tambler, General Santos City, Roldan Miraveles Dante sat quietly on the porch of what remained of his home. Around him lay piles of concrete, twisted metal, and debris, the remnants of a house that once sheltered his family. In his arms was the body of one of his children.

Roldan sat staring blankly into the distance, seemingly unable to comprehend the tragedy that had unfolded in just a matter of seconds.

Roldan, his wife, and their two children had been living in the house with his sister and her family when the powerful earthquake struck. As the ground shook violently, portions of the house collapsed.

His wife and two children were trapped beneath the falling walls.

Family members and neighbors rushed to help, desperately trying to pull the victims from the rubble. But their efforts were in vain.

The mother and one child died at the scene. Roldan’s eldest child was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared the youngster dead on arrival.

A video shared on social media by a relative, Felix Baran Dante, captured a heartbreaking scene that resonated with many Filipinos.

In the footage, Roldan is standing beside the body of his wife which was covered with a bedsheet. Still carrying his child, he gently lay the small body beside its mother.

Then, as if the tragedy itself were not enough, a powerful aftershock rattled the village. People could be seen running for safety. Amid the chaos, Roldan remained frozen in his grief.

The video is difficult to watch. It gives a glimpse into a loss that words can scarcely describe — the loss of a wife and two children in one devastating moment.

Yet beyond the sorrow, another emotion is visible on Roldan’s face — fear. Even as he mourned, the continuing aftershocks served as a reminder that the danger had not completely passed.

For his family, the days following the earthquake have been a struggle not only with grief but with practical concerns.

Roldan’s sister, Juanita, said she is still struggling to accept what happened.

With power outages affecting the area, she turned to social media to seek help for her brother, hoping to raise enough funds to provide the three victims a proper burial.