PBA LEGEND SAMBOY LIM DIES AT 61

NINE-TIME PBA champion Avelino “Samboy” Lim died on Saturday at the age of 61.

The Philippine basketball icon’s family confirmed his death in a post on his Facebook page.

“Our Hearts are broken… our dearly beloved Samboy passed away peacefully,” the statement read.

Lim, known as “The Skywalker,” was surrounded by relatives and fellow basketball stars that included Allan Caidic.

During his final moments at the Medical City, Ft. Franklin Beltran, a former Letran Chaplain, was able to administer the Last Rites Extreme Unction

“Please pray for Samboy. He needs our prayers as we commend his soul to the loving arms of our Lord God,” the family wrote.

“Heaven gained an angel just in time for Christmas. We love you Samboy, thank you for loving all of us unconditionally … no more pain nor suffering! Goodbye for now …… you will be in our hearts forever,” they added.

Lim played in the PBA between 1986 and 1997, mostly with the San Miguel Beermen, winning nine championships while with the team.

While with the Philippine national team, Lim has also won two gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games in 1983 and 1985, as well as two Asian Games medals, a bronze in 1986 and a silver in 1990, which was the best result for the country until its gold medal at the 19th Asian Games last October.

He retired from the professional league in 1997.

His health, however, took a toll in November 2014 after he was rushed to a hospital after collapsing just minutes after coming of a PBA Legends exhibition game at the Ynares Center in Pasig.

The PBA legend slipped into a coma and was first admitted to the Intensive Care Unit before he was later transferred to the intermediate care unit.

In January 2015, he slipped out of his comatose state and was brought home where he received treatment and therapy.