'Mama's boy' Josh Urbiztondo motivated to win championship for ailing mom

“The first three days I was there she was still unconscious I was just praying by her side, I was telling her, 'Open your eyes.’ I told her I was there, and when she heard my voice, it gave her a push and she was opening her eyes, she was moving her eyebrows,” Josh Urbiztondo recalls. “And then I saw tears come down her face. I was just so thankful from that moment on it just kept on progressing.” Jerome Ascano

A SELF-CONFESSED mama’s boy, it’s understandable if Barangay Ginebra guard Josh Urbiztondo is aching to win a PBA championship this conference more than ever.

Urbiztondo just came back on Wednesday morning from the United States where he attended to his ailing mother, a worrying situation that left him no choice but to him to miss the first three games of the Kings’ best-of-seven Philippine Cup semifinals series against San Mig Coffee Mixers.

And he admitted his mother’s condition is a major motivation for him to go out there and help the Kings win the all-Filipino championship.

“Me being there, her youngest son, she really gave that fight and that push to get well,” said Urbiztondo when Spin.ph caught up with him on Wednesday night after Game Four of the series which Ginebra won, 85-82, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

“So I also have commitment here and be with the guys and the journey to win the championship.”

According to the Fil-Am guard, his mother underwent gall bladder surgery in the US which, unfortunately, led to a series of complications.

“She underwent a gall bladder removal so bad there is a leakage that caused her kidney failure and there's acute pancreatitis and after that she had pneumonia and she had trouble breathing,” Urbiztondo explained with obvious sadness in his voice.

To her credit, the 58-year old mother of two is now getting better, according to his basketball player son.

“Once I saw her progressing, I didn't want to leave her until I see some improvement, not complete improvement but enough for me to come back. I also have a commitment here but it's family first,” he said.

Being by his mother's side in the time she needed him most was Josh's way of encouraging her to get well.

“I was there talking to her and praying by her bedside. She woke up, and thank God she just keeps progressing and getting better each day,” he said.

“The first three days I was there she was still unconscious I was just praying by her side, I was telling her, 'Open your eyes.’ I told her I was there, and when she heard my voice, it gave her a push and she was opening her eyes, she was moving her eyebrows,” Urbiztondo recalled.

“And then I saw tears come down her face. I was just so thankful from that moment on it just kept on progressing.”

That made Josh even more motivated to win yet another championship – both for Ginebra and his mother

“So now I want to win for my mom, this is all dedicated to her. And that's what the guys (Kings) said also.”