Elijah Canlas opens up about dealing with grief: ‘It comes and goes everyday’
Since losing his younger brother JM Canlas three years ago, actor Elijah Canlas and his family have been doing their best to actively honor his memory by advocating for mental health awareness. They also established the KULIT Organization to support mental health initiatives in the Philippines and hold the JM Canlas Badminton Cup annual fundraiser every March, his late brother’s birth month. The talented actor opened up to PUSH ABS-CBN about how he’s still dealing with grief everyday since JM’s passing.
“We deal with it everyday. There’s no manual for it as well di ba? On how to handle grief. So yung kaya ko, yung expression niya is writing. Ako nakagawa rin ako ng kanta for my brother. I just put myself into work. Yun talaga yun eh. I really sink my teeth deep into work ever since it happened three years ago. Puro trabaho po. Nag-focus ako sa trabaho, focus ako sa sarili. Pero hindi natatapos yung grief eh. It comes and goes everyday. I deal with it in different ways. Sometimes, manunuod lang ako ng pelikula pag may ganun na pakiramdam,” he said.
Another way that Elijah likes to honor his brother’s memory is by reminiscing about their happy moments together.
“Minsan I like talking about my brother who passed. It’s fun sharing stories about him, remembering him. Kasi that’s the least we can do now na wala na nga siya. Masayang alalahanin yung mga alaala niya kasi sobrang nakaka-miss siya everyday. I talk to him everyday, when I pray, before I eat, before I sleep, in tough moments before I go on stage, I tell him it’s for him. Everything is for him. Wala kong definite answer kasi diyan eh. Unlike my brother I guess. Binubuhos ko siya sa trabaho and inaalala lang. Patuloy na binubuhay yung alaala niya,” he added.
With his older brother Jerom also into the arts as a theater actor, writer, and director, Elijah shared his only condition for his sibling before agreeing on working together on a project.
“Pabasa muna (ng script), yun yung sinabi ko sa kanya (laughs). But anything naman, my brother knows me more than I know myself. He’s seen all of my work halos, so I trust him. I really believe in his vision all the time. Tinext niya nga ako nung nakapasa siya (as a finalist in Teatro Panalo) na, ‘Oy, ikaw kukunin ko dito.’ Sabi ko, ‘Pabasa muna!’ (laughs) Pero for sure, kapag nagtugma yung schedule, gagawin namin yun. Siyempre si kuya yun,” he admitted.
When not busy with his multiple commitments in showbiz, the 26-year-old shared what he likes to do whenever he gets a free day to unwind. “Wala naman. I just go to the gym and I play sports with my friends. I play basketball, badminton, whatever. Kaladkarin kasi ako ngayon. So kung may mag-imbita diyan, kung may birthday, ganun, pupuntahan ko. Pero generally, ang pinaka-number one ko talaga ay manuod ng movies. Hindi biro yun. Pag nagka-rest day ako or early pack up ako, check ako kagad ng mga palabas at pinaka malapit na mall. Manunuod ako movie kahit ako lang mag-isa. Yun po yung peace ko, I guess. Yun yung happy place ko, inside the cinema,” he revealed.