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MANILA, Philippines — Over 50 rare green bones were found among the cremated remains of Angel Colmenares, actress Angel Locsin's father, who passed away at the age of 98 on March 5.
Angel Locsin and her late father, Angel Colmenares. INSTAGRAM PHOTO/THEREALANGELLOCSIN
In Chinese tradition, green bones symbolize good fortune and are believed to reflect a life lived with kindness and virtue.
Locsin's sister, Ella Colmenares, shared the experience in a social media post titled "The Day We Found Dad's Green Bones."
During the cremation, the funeral staff handed them a bag containing green bone fragments, remarking that they had never recovered such a large amount from a single individual before.
"Suddenly, what felt like the darkest day became a little lighter. It felt like Dad was still speaking to us leaving a part of himself behind to watch over us. Everyone seemed amazed, as though Dad had left us a final message that he was at peace, and that he left us good luck," she wrote.
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Despite the sentimental views, Colmenares said she looked for scientific reasoning and found that green bones can be caused by the presence of metallic compounds or antibiotic residues.
"There may be antibiotics that Dad had taken during those long days in the hospital, and maybe from the titanium in his ankle from that accident long ago. The high heat and the chemical make-up of his body — all of it combined to tint his bones green.
"Yet, even knowing the science, I always believed that our Dad was a good person. I also couldn't help but think of all Dad had endured just like his bones endured the high heat. All the pain, all the battles he fought that we never fully knew. Maybe the green bones were also a testament to his strength — to a life lived with discipline, love, and sacrifice," she added.
The revelation brought unexpected comfort to her sister, Angel Locsin, who has been on hiatus since 2022.
"Her face lit up, like the sun breaking through a storm. She was suddenly so happy and proud. For the first time since Dad left us, I saw Angel smile. Like for that moment, her heart found a little piece of peace. I wanted to explain, to tell her about the science, but as I looked at her holding onto that fragile joy, I swallowed my words. I let her believe. I let her be happy," Colmenares ended.
