After the news of Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu’s passing broke out, an old report from "TV Patrol" back in 2003 resurfaced. The report was filed by Katkat de Castro when she covered Hsu’s arrival at the NAIA at the height of popularity of "Meteor Garden," where Hsu played the iconic role of Shan Cai.
In the report, an 8-year old kid was interviewed. Her name was Ricel. According to de Castro’s report, Ricel wasn’t able to see Hsu because she fell from the table while the Taiwanese actress was on her way out.
Twenty-two years after, Ricel, now 30 years old, is based in Honolulu, Hawaii. ABS-CBN News caught up with Ricel and she said she can vividly remember that day.
“I do clearly remember that day. My mom ko before, she was a nurse at the airport. We get access. That time, I was in the second grade, siyempre avid fan and mom was like ‘o pupunta siya dito’, sabi ko ‘Ma, please I wanna see her.’”
But contrary to the report, Ricel wanted to clarify that she did see Hsu passed by. “The reality is, I didn’t fall. All the adults were like, tatapak-tapakan ka na nila, wala silang paki 'coz they were so excited. I was already crying kasi bata pa ako noon. They had to pull me up so what they saw is that they thought nahulog ako. They actually had to pull me up from the floor, up to the table.”
And little did everyone know, Ricel actually met Hsu and the rest of the boys, on a separate ocassion.
“I had the chance to meet them a few days after. Meron silang tent, sa labas siya eh, nung dumating na yung F4 for a concert or whatever. Meron kaming white tent na pinuntahan, and we had the chance, I had the chance to meet all of them.”
How was it like meeting your childhood hero?
“It was every girl’s dream. You were just a kid, excited to meet one of the very important persons in your childhood. I was very excited I had my posters and everything. It was really a kid’s dream meeting her back then, that’s why it’s very nostalgic for me.”
But all her photos with Hsu and signed posters are gone. Ricel left them at her grandmother’s house, some got lost or destroyed through the years and eventually their house was sold.
Thanks to YouTube, that 2003 TV Patrol clip will be her remaining proof that she was indeed a superfan of Hsu.
“I was really shocked, ‘cause she’s young. I didn’t really expect that that will happen to her and sad to say, she was part of my childhood as you guys can see. I was an avid fan, since that show came out in the Philippines. I was really sad about it and but we just have to hope that she’s feeling better up there,” said Ricel after the sad news of Hsu's passing.
“She will never go away. She’s always been part (of my childhood) from then til now.’
Taiwan's 'Meteor Garden' star Barbie Hsu dies at 48
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