They have always had each other's back.
Choco Mucho Flying Titan Des Cheng tore her ACL in the team's 25-21, 25-19, 25-18 win over the Cignal HD Spikers in the PVL Second All-Filipino Conference last Thursday.
It is no doubt a particularly heartbreaking injury, in part because it signals the end of Cheng’s season and in part because it means she will need to face the long road to recovery, which typically takes anywhere from eight to 12 months. Oh, and this is also the second time she has suffered such a debilitating injury.
Cheng, though, isn’t trekking that road alone and on her own. She will obviously have the full support of the Choco Mucho family and its legions of fans. And, of course, she will have a familiar face egging her on every step of the way: elder sister Djanel Cheng of the Petro Gazz Angels.
And, on Sunday, Djanel posted on Instagram Story a sweet, inspiring message for her younger sibling, who will be facing that uphill climb from hereon out.
“Be the person who still tries,” Djanel wrote on Instagram. “After failure, after frustration, after disappointment, after exhaustion, after heartache, be the person who musters up the courage to believe that a new attempt can manifest (a) new outcome. Be the person who still tries.”
Djanel’s message figures to resonate with Des. After all, suffering a season-ending injury is all sorts of frustrating. It is just as heartbreaking. The recovery, meanwhile, will be frustrating and exhausting—and everything in between.
Des, who has overcome her fair share of challenges already this season, like suffering from heat exhaustion in a game, will surely be that person who still tries. And Djanel definitely will be that loving sister providing all-out support.
To wit, there's nothing like some sisterly love in times of trouble.
(MDB)