The community is missing an Angel (Ram)
By Cristina DC Pastor
In case you’re missing the gravelly singing style of Angel Ram, one of the community’s frequently-invited musical performers, it may take a while to see her back on stage.
She’s been in a hospital since July undergoing one medical procedure after another, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser organized by her friend Little John. A thyroid surgery in July 14 was followed by a collapsed airway resulting from the surgery. Just when her condition was starting to get better, she suffered a stroke which doctors described as a Transient Ischemic Attack which paralyzed parts of her body and affected her sense of balance.
Her friends in the local concert circuit banded together in “Jam for Angel” to raise funds for her hospital bills and therapy. Those who performed included Krizia Daya, Brix and Joanna, Neeko, and Sidney Guevarra. They dedicated their numbers in hopes of Angel’s speedy recovery. Daya, one of the organizers, said the concert was able to raise $1,716.
Angel has returned home and is undergoing sustained physical therapy to get her back to form.
“I’m speechless,” she writes on Facebook. “Truly grateful for EVERYONE, took all your precious time despite your busy schedules to be there and show love and support, I will cherish this forever.”
A short video shows Angel’s progress carefully navigating the few steps around her living room with a cane and a walker.
‘At Last’
Born Angel Ramchand to a Filipino mother and a half-Indian father, she grew up in Zamboanga and later moved to Manila when she got married. She came to the U.S. in 2012 when her marriage ended.
However, it was only a year and a half after arriving in NYC that she began to sing publicly at gatherings. She has a raspy singing style that some find haunting. She loves the songs of Ella Fitzgerald, Angela Bofill and Etta James. “At Last” by James was one of her outstanding numbers that got Filipino Americans in the New York area to take notice of her vocal prowess.
She broke ground when she did a solo concert in 2016 at the fabled BB King Blues Club & Grill, the first Filipino to ever perform at the club on Times Square. With butterflies in her stomach, she wondered then, “Am I ready?”
Three years later, she sang the Philippine National Anthem “Lupang Hinirang” during the Pacquiao vs. Broner fight in Las Vegas.
“I can’t wait to start walking again on my own,” she laments on Facebook. “My body may be weak, but my mind is strong and determined enough to keep pushing.”
The GoFundMe campaign is seeking support for the months Angel will be recuperating. “No amount is too big or too small. Angel works paycheck to paycheck and she would really appreciate any help from anyone,” said her friend John.
Here’s the link to donate.
© The FilAm 2022
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