Actress Camille Prats with husband Antony Linsangan. File photo

MANILA, Philippines – For the first time since her husband passed away, a strong and calm Camille Prats faced the media on Saturday.

Anthony Linsangan, 31, died on Friday morning due to nasopharyngeal cancer. According to Prats, it all started when Linsangan started to feel a lump on his jaw in June last year.

She said that she never expected things to happen that fast.

"Hindi ako makapaniwala kasi napakabata [niya]. Kasi that time he's turning 30 parang hindi totoo. [I thought] It's not possible for someone his age to acquire a disease like that. [I thought] it could just be viral infection. When we found out that it was cancer, hindi ako makapaniwala but of course, we had hope," Prats said.

"Kaya kami nag-resort to treatment kasi nga we had hope that he [would] get better."

It was in September 2010 when they discovered that Linsangan was already suffering from stage 4 nasopharyngeal cancer.

Prats shared, "Mahirap 'yung chemo, but the radiation kasi, grabe nasunog leeg niya. He couldn't swallow, he couldn't eat. Dumating to a point na ayaw niyang ituloy pero hindi [siya tumigil]. Tinapos niya 'yung treatment niya. Up to the very end, he was fighting for his life."

No sign of weakness

Prats said she never showed any sign of weakness because she knew that Linsangan was drawing strength from her.

"Buong course ng treatment niya hindi ko pinakita sa kanya na umiyak ako, wala talaga...Tinry ko na hindi ipakita sa kanya...I'm sure he was drawing his strength from me, so I never showed any sign of weakness. Through God's grace, through a lot of prayers, kaya ako ganon," she said.

Prats added that Linsangan was still supportive of her showbiz projects even when he was already sick.

"'Yung sa 'Munting Heredera,' when I got that project, that was May, he was still perfectly healthy...He was all-out supportive," she said, referring to her television project in another network.

"Even when he was sick, he would record the show...even in and out of the hospital, he required a flat screen...[he] wouldn't miss the show. Even when he was sleeping a lot, he still recorded everything."

God's plan

Prats said she is sad that she lost her husband, but she would like to believe that God has a reason for everything.

She said, though, that she has yet to understand what it is.

"A lot of people tell me, may dahilan ang Diyos pero hindi ko pa talaga naiintindihan, ang bata pa ni Nathan (their son). Never ko na-imagine na ganito mangyayari sa akin. When I see other people, couples at my age, [I ask] why it just had to happen," she said.

For now, Prats just hopes that Linsangan would watch over her and their son.

Meanwhile, Linsangan's interment is set on Tuesday in Dasmarinas, Cavite.