Gabby Concepcion and KC Reunite In San Francisco

KC1
Originally uploaded by cathyguballa.

And they lived happily ever after, in a strange sort of way.

After ten years of being "estranged" from her dad, former actor Gabby Concepcion, showbiz princess KC Concepcion finally reunited with him in San Francisco last August. KC spent 10 days with daddy Gabby - "One day for each year lost," she said in an article by Bayani san Diego in the Philippine Daily Inquirer interview today. It's always tough growing under the shadow of one famous parent, more so two in KC's case. It is to Sharon's credit that KC has grown up quiet well with no bitterness in her heart. Here's an excerpt from the PDI article :

Tell us about the “unopened letters” mentioned in your blog?

That was when my Papa didn’t know how to reach me. He wrote birthday cards and sent them all to himself for three years. Maybe he was hoping it wouldn’t be long until we saw each other again. I cried about that, of course.

What was it like saying goodbye to your Papa after the visit?

It felt good because we both knew it wasn’t a “forever” goodbye. It was just a “for now” goodbye.

Where do you two go from here?

Of course it’s no longer like before. The visit was a turning point for us. I promised my titos and titas that I’d keep in touch. My Papa and his wife hold a very special place in my heart. Even my Mama feels that things can only go uphill from here. She’s happy and she knows I’ll never leave her for anyone!

In her blog Lemon Chamomile KC showcases some photos from that memorable reunion. One can clearly see how father and daughter basked in each other's presence. I suppose Sharon knew that this day would certainly come. As KC so eloquently put it "It was the last piece in the puzzle I needed to complete myself." And come on, let's face it, even she admits to the striking resemblance - undoubtedly anak ni Gabby.

To those of us that grew up on a staple of Gabby-Sharon movies, this latest twist in the saga sends us back to our younger, more innocent years. I have known Sharon personally since I was twelve years old - her Tita Helen, my mother's close friend and showbiz colleague, lived on the same street I grew up on. We would meet up during children's parties and ever since the Megastar has always had that charm about her, even as a 10 year old, way before showbiz beckoned. As she grew up under the kleig lights, I watched in awe and admiration from afar. Gabby and Sharon are what you might call "icons" of our generation. Their public lives reflect a similar stories from our generation - of love lost and found, of careers made and broken, of rebuilding new lives and finding new purpose. And if this latest twist in the lives of one of showbiz' most popular tandems is once more reflective of the 40something generation - then we can all someday claim a happy ending somewhere down the road, no matter how twisted the road may have been thus far.