DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — What was supposed to be an ordinary night turned into a life-changing tragedy for Jeane Patrick Almadovar, a 30-year-old overseas Filipino worker.
In November 2021, while heading home in Sharjah, Jeane stepped into an elevator — but instead of going up, the lift malfunctioned, sending him crashing three floors down.
“Pagkabukas po ng pinto ng lift, nag-enter ako. Hindi pala tumaas. Nahulog ako sa baba. Duon sa bubong ng lift car ako bumagsak,” he recalled.
“Buti nga po paa at likod lang po ang nadale.”
The fall left Jeane with a spinal cord injury, severe damage to his back and right ankle, and months of paralysis.
For several months, he could not move his legs. From November 2021 to February 2022, he relied on a wheelchair, struggling not just physically but emotionally.
“That was the most difficult chapter of my life,” he shared. “Living with paralysis and depending on others led me to depression. I felt like all my dreams had been shattered.”
But Jeane’s story didn’t end there. Through faith, determination, and rehabilitation, he slowly began to recover.
By April 2022, doctors called it a miracle — he could walk again. Today, he still feels some discomfort and relies on intermittent catheterization due to his spinal injury, but he proudly says:
“I can now walk without assisted foot orthoses.”
Despite what happened, Jeane chose forgiveness over anger.
“Hindi ko na po pinush yung demanda,” he said, declining to take legal action against the building or elevator company.
A Journey of Resilience and Purpose
A sociology graduate from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Jeane moved to the UAE in 2015 to support his family. Like many OFWs, he took on various jobs before eventually working as a document controller at a contracting firm.
Even after his accident, he refused to give up on his dreams. He completed his supplementary education units and passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) in 2023 with an impressive 90% rating.
Now, Jeane works as a document controller in the Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance Department at Sharjah Asset Management, the investment arm of the Sharjah Finance Department.
Beyond his day job, he volunteers as a lecturer for the Filipino International Teachers’ Society (FITS) in the UAE, helping other Filipinos prepare for the Special Licensure Exam for Teachers. He also serves as a youth coordinator and worship leader in a Christian church in Sharjah.
His perseverance was recently recognized when he received the Gawad Pinoy Top 10 Outstanding Overseas Filipino Award in June 2025.
“Looking back, I never imagined that life could still be this meaningful after almost losing my mobility,” Jeane said. “Though challenges remain, I am grateful — because I am still standing.”
From the brink of paralysis to walking again, Jeane Patrick Almadovar’s story is a powerful reminder that faith, courage, and resilience can turn even the darkest fall into a testimony of hope.
