You're never too young or too old to pursue a dream, and for KZ Tandingan's mom, Marites Lobrigas Tandingan, passing the Nursing Licensure Exam at 56 is truly a dream come true.
In an inspiring Facebook post on November 30, KZ recounted how her mom sacrificed to pursue a career as a midwife so that she could raise her children. The singer's post contained snippets of her mom reviewing for the exam, as well as random moments KZ shared with her mom.
KZ said that her mom began her career as a midwife at 18 and attempted to balance being a mother while pursuing a career. "In the end, she made the decision to abandon the career she had fought so hard to achieve in order to concentrate on caring for her children," KZ wrote.
While KZ and her sister were in high school, their mom opted to pursue a new bachelor's degree in nursing, but the family learned that her mom was pregnant with their brother during the first year of the four-year program. Because of the pregnancy, KZ said that her mom had to transfer to a university that was established for "second courses" or for working people who wanted to get a new degree with more flexible class schedules.
"For a few months, she would do it, but eventually she would put it on hold in order to concentrate on her health and to prepare for the impending birth of our brother," KZ wrote.
When KZ was in college and her brother was already three years old at the time, her mom would continue attending classes on weekends until she received her diploma. KZ said that her mom tried to take the NLE without any proper review as there was too much on her plate and she wound up not passing the exams. KZ shared, "She was so heartbroken that she thought maybe she's too old or that she didn’t have what it took anymore."
In 2022, KZ's mom tried to take the NLE exams after more than 10 years and mustered the courage to take the exam for the last time. The singer shared that for six months, her mom reviewed for the exams in secret and only the family knew about it as she didn't want people to become disappointed in case she didn't pass it again. KZ shared, "She would study so hard that she'd fall asleep while reading her books and sometimes forget to take a break to eat."
KZ continued, "The exam dates came, and on the last day, she burst out in tears of worry and joy and collapsed in my dad's arms. She was worried that she might not get the result she's been praying for but was joyful that even at 56, she was still able to do it."
Proudly announcing that her mom is now a registered nurse, KZ wrote, "Mommy, I can't thank you enough for loving us so much that you sacrificed your career just to make sure we had the best future. Today is a reminder that God sees everything and that He rewards His children in His perfect time. Congratulations, Mommy Tess! I'm so proud of you. I love you."
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