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‘I wondered why him and not me’: Dina Bonnevie reflects on Christian faith, husband's death during 63rd birthday

Published Jan 29, 2025 5:49 pm

Dina Bonnevie spent her first birthday as a widow, taking to Instagram to pay a heartfelt tribute to her late husband and reflect on her Christian faith.

On Jan. 28, the actress shared an Instagran reel of her birthday celebration, which included her blowing the candle of her cake, eating with family members in a restaurant, a photo of white flowers in a vase, watching her grandsons play the piano, and the flowers and greeting cards she received.

"Yesterday I turned 63," she wrote in the caption. "A follower of Christ, a loving wife to my husband, a stepmother to five kids, a mother of 2, a grandmother to 9, and now a widow."

Her husband, agriculture undersecretary Deogracias Victor "DV" Savellano, died due to abdominal aneurysm last Jan. 7. He was 65.

After she "pondered" on the recent events of her life, she said Savellano's death "was not only the most painful experience in my life, but the most traumatic."

"Watching my husband struggle for dear life and helplessly die in front of me, is one thing I wish no one would ever experience," she said, adding, "I wondered why him and not me."

Bonnevie described Savellano as a "good person who lived a Christ-centered life, was generous, was a true and devoted public servant and a visionary who created projects to alleviate the lives of the poor, the aged, the farmers, the fishermen and the artisans."

Savellano, a proud Ilocano according to Bonnevie, "did almost everything in his power to promote his town, his district, and finally his country."

"He had so much more to do and contribute to his country and province," she said. "The immensity of people who came to his wake and condoled with me, and shared their stories of DV with me, made me realize how many lives he has touched and how much he has achieved in his lifetime."

She noted that Javellano might have touched more people than she did as an actress.

Bonnevie then began to address God, asking why she had to be left behind and what did he want for her to do and where did he want her to be.

"Couldn’t I still fulfill my purpose with my husband? What did I still have to do without a spouse?" she said.

While praying, Bonnevie said she demanded a "fair explanation," as she "was hurt, felt betrayed, angry, and lost in my misery."

Bonnevie feared that her birthday would be nothing to celebrate for without Savellano.

"Then as if God spoke to me and showed me a quick video of what just happened the day before my birthday and the night before and then the whole day of my birthday," she said. "Then everything dawned on me."

Now writing in the comments section, she said God "provided a lunch get together with my husband’s Mom and sisters." She also had a birthday eve dinner with her stepchildren.

"We bonded and shared stories and I didn't feel alone at all, except, when I had to blow the birthday candle."

In the morning, she missed "the usual tulips my husband would wake me up to."

But she got a "wonderful bouquet of orchids from Helen Gamboa, an ex sister-in-law I haven’t seen or spoken to in a long time." Gamboa is the wife of Tito Sotto, the brother of her ex-husband Vic Sotto.

Though she was missing Savellano's presence a lot, Bonnevie said God provided joy when she spent time with his son's family. Her grandsons' piano-playing, as well as their letters for her, also gave her comfort.

She then had a realization of how "ungrateful" she was to question God and focus on her loss "and not notice the many little miracles and provisions He provided along the way."

“Now I stand grateful and sorry for asking God to explain matters to me," she said. "I am reminded of my faith in Him that should remain unwavering, despite life's challenges."

"God takes care of widows, he never leaves those who abide in Him," she added.

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