In a touching show of friendship, former naturalized basketball player Arthur “Chip” Engelland and sports journalist Quinito Henson paid a visit to the beloved PBA “Skywalker”, Avelino “Samboy” Lim Jr., on Saturday, 9 September.
Their heartfelt visit left an indelible mark on Samboy, his ex-wife Darlene Berberabe, and everyone present.
A series of photos were shared on Samboy’s Facebook account.
During the visit, Chip sat by Samboy’s side, holding his hand, and reminiscing about their days on the hardcourt, especially their victory against the powerhouse US team in the 1985 Jones Cup. They were teammates under the legendary Coach Ron Jacobs in the RP-NCC squad.
When it was time to part ways, Samboy continued to shed tears, deeply moved by the visit.
As a parting remark, Chip said to him, “(W)e all got together and we couldn’t stop talking about you! We are not a team without you, and we love you so much”.
Since collapsing during an exhibition game in 2014, Samboy has been battling with health issues. Although he regained consciousness after a week of being comatose, he has been confined to his bed ever since while recovering from the stroke.