Kapuso actor Ruru Madrid shocked fans on April 1, 2025, when he revealed through a lengthy social-media post that he suffered a serious injury while on the set of Lolong: Bayani ng Bayan.
He began his post, "Life has a way of testing you when you least expect it.
"Kahapon, habang nagte-taping para sa Lolong, I was giving it my all—full speed—then suddenly, pop.
"Alam kong may mali. My leg gave out, and I couldn’t continue."
The production team immediately brought him to the hospital, where doctors confirmed he had a pulled hamstring.
Ruru then underwent an MRI scan to assess the severity of the injury.
He elaborated, "Dumaan ako sa MRI, and bukas malalaman ko ang results, hoping and praying na hindi ito Grade 3 strain, which means a full tear that could take weeks or even months to recover."
Read: Ruru Madrid, hindi naniniwalang napatumba ng Lolong ang FPJ's Ang Probinsyano
Beyond the physical pain, the toughest challenge for Ruru was being forced to step away from the production.
He said, "Masakit? Oo. Pero mas masakit yung pakiramdam na kailangan kong huminto.
"All I could think about was my team, the scenes we still have to finish, and how much I wanted to push through.
"That’s the reality of doing action, sometimes, your body reminds you that you’re only human."
Read: Ruru Madrid recalls being called "ham actor" in the past
Ruru took a moment to express gratitude to those who were beside him, especially his long-time girlfriend, Bianca Umali.
"To Mahal, @bianxa—salamat dahil hindi mo ako iniwan sa oras na 'to. Your presence, love, and support mean everything to me."
The actor accompanied his post with a carousel of photos capturing his trip from the set to the hospital, including the moment he was wheeled into the medical facility.
Ruru vows to come back stronger
Despite the setback, Ruru made it clear that he will not let this injury affect him.
"Pero hindi ako titigil dito. Challenges like this don’t break me, they build me. This is just a pause, not the end. Every setback is a setup for a stronger comeback.
"Despite everything, I will forever be grateful to God. His plans are always greater than mine, and I trust in His timing and purpose."
There is no official timeline for his return to Lolong 2 yet, but Ruru assured his supporters, "This is just part of the journey. And trust me, I’m coming back stronger. See you soon."
Before this injury, Ruru had already sustained minor bruises and muscle strains during the show’s first season.
"Medyo nag-alangan ako kasi parang gusto ko pang i-perfect yung scene. Medyo nakulangan sa taas ng talon ko so sabi ko, ‘In this take, tataasan ko na siya,’" he told 24 Oras in March 2022.
"Habang ginagawa ko siya, nagulat ako doon sa sarili ko na ganoon kataas yung take-off ko kaya pagbagsak ko, unexpected na bigla kong na-twist yung right foot ko. Di ko kayang tumayo dahil sa sobrang sakit."
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