Outside the house of veteran news anchor Ali Sotto in Spain stands an enormous evergreen tree called “Miko”, which was named after the beloved son she lost nearly 20 years ago, matinee idol Miko Sotto.
In the early 2000s, Miko was having the time of his life; relishing a promising acting career, cherishing a happy relationship with actress Angel Locsin, being loved by thousands of fans.
Until he met his untimely death in 2003.
December 29, 2003, to be exact—which Angel calls the “saddest day” of her life and, unknown to many, the exact reason why Ali shunned celebrating Christmases for over half a decade.
Ali and her family, who lost Miko just few days after Christmas, did not have the heart to be in celebration mode for the Christmas season until six years later.
“After our son died in December 2003 we didn’t have it in us to celebrate Christmas. Not until six years after did we set up a live evergreen to light up and hang tinsel from. And only because we had his brother and sister, father and stepmom staying with us in Madrid at that time and we felt the need to spread the holiday cheer,” Ali shared.
Evergreen tree in Miko Sotto’s memory
When the celebration was over, Miko’s loved ones decided to transfer the tree to the ground and called it their “Miko”.
“After they left, we transferred the tree from pot to the ground and named it our Miko tree,” Ali recalled.
And that was how the tree called “Miko” started being a symbol of the strength of every mother who lost a child; who never stops mourning but remains standing strong, growing continuously as time passes by while being watered with the love and memories of her lost kid.
This year, Ali and her husband got the chance to visit their house and found “Miko”, standing tall and ever more beautiful.
“My husband had a chance to visit our house in Conde de Orgaz. There, standing tall, silhouetted against the dying afternoon sun, was our beautiful, majestic Miko tree!” she shared.
“If only everyone knew that it has a story to tell—that it is a testament to the strength and courage of every mother who has ever lost a child,” she continued.
For Ali, how “Miko” has grown over the years is “a testimony of how through faith and by God’s grace, [those mother’s] mourning will one day turn into dancing.”
Miko would have been 40 years old today and Ali continues to get stronger each day as she keeps him alive in her heart and memory.
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