My name is Dave Laping, but some people know me by my nickname, Will Ashley (a long story; I won’t go into it). I was born on September 27, 2003, in Mandaue City, and I grew up in Upper Tulay, Minglanilla, Cebu. I come from a family of four: my father, Wilfredo Alinabon; my mother, Carmelita Laping; and my younger brother, Carlo Laping.
Life as a kid? Simple. Basketball, barkada, and bugnaw nga tubig sa gripo. My world was all about basketball. If I wasn’t dribbling, I was probably eating or sleeping. Everything felt complete and happy, until life threw a few three-pointers I wasn’t ready to block.
Life was smooth, but things slowly changed when I discovered that my mother had an affair. I will never forget the day she even brought me to prison just to meet her “special someone.” It was confusing, painful, and awkward all at once. From that point, I wasn’t sure if Papa knew. All I knew was… life wasn’t going to stay picture-perfect.
As I grew older, I found myself seeking a new path. One night, my barkada and I gathered and made plans to study at Boystown. But in the end, I was the only one who actually went through with it. Transitioning to life in Boystown was difficult at first. I was in Grade 7, doing chores and
cleaning, while silently crying because I missed my family. But as days turned into months, I learned to adapt. Slowly, I became stronger and more independent.
By the time I reached Grade 8, my world shifted again. I was called home because my grandmother, my father’s mom, had passed away. It was during that time that I also discovered the heartbreaking truth: my parents had officially separated. From then on, I wished things could go back to the way they were, but my mother never returned. Despite the pain, I decided to rebuild myself and focus on studying.
Of course, life at Boystown wasn’t only about sadness, it also had its share of hilarious moments. Ah, Grade 10. The year of laughter, pranks… and a broken arm. I tried to climb onto my dormmate’s shoulders, but he thought I was going to tumble, so he dodged me. The result? SNAP! My arm snapped like a biscuit. They cemented it (the arm, not the floor), and it healed. But stubborn me, I played basketball too early, and the pain got worse. Four months later, I was admitted to the hospital, stayed in the ward for a month, and eventually had surgery. It was painful, but it became one of those funny stories I look back on, because who breaks an arm twice in the same semester? Lesson learned: I’m indestructible, but not injury-proof.
In the end, Boystown gave me more than broken bones. It gave me family, discipline, and achievements. The sisters were very kind, and my batchmates became my second family. Despite everything, I graduated with honors, which was proof that I could rise above all the difficulties.
After graduation, I didn’t immediately go to college. Since Boystown was one year advanced, I decided to work there for a while to help out. After a year, I started chasing my dream of higher education. My first stop was Southwestern University, where I had a Hawak-Kamay scholarship. But the allowance was too small to support me, so I didn’t continue there. Next, I tried CTU, but it wasn’t smooth sailing either. I almost didn’t get interviewed and thought I wouldn’t make it.
Thankfully, one of my former teachers had connections and helped me out. To my surprise, I even ranked in the top 20 of the entrance exam. That’s when my journey as a CTU student officially began.
College life, however, came with a new set of struggles. This time, the challenge was financial. I applied to different scholarships but always failed. Just when I was about to lose hope, I discovered the KFF Foundation. That foundation truly changed my life. They supported my education and gave me the opportunity to focus on my studies without constantly worrying about money.
Looking back, my life has been full of ups and downs, tears and laughter, pain and resilience. From my happy childhood in Minglanilla, to my difficult but life-changing years in Boystown, to my present struggles and victories in college, I’ve learned that life is like a basketball game. Sometimes I miss the shot, sometimes I get fouled, and sometimes I even break my arm. But no matter what, I always get back up and keep playing.
This is my story so far, funny, painful, astonishing, but uniquely mine. And as I continue this journey, I hope to achieve greater things, help others, and prove that no matter how broken life may seem, you can always rebuild yourself. Truly, this is the astonishing life of Dave Laping, also known as Will Ashley and the game is far from over.
