Actress-TV host Jeni Hernandez confirmed her recent break-up with her PBA cager-boyfriend Eugene Tejada.
Jeni could not hide her disappointment with Eugene who, according to her, has changed a lot. Before the split, Jeni never left Eugene's side following the life-threatening on-court accident that gave the cager spinal injury.
Eugene was playing forward for Purefoods in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). During a game against Red Bull on May 16, 2006, Eugene took a bad fall that caused him to absorb the full weight of Red Bull forward Mick Pennisi. Eugene suffered a spinal-cord injury that resulted in sensory dysfunction and the inability to move from the waist down.
After undergoing an operation here in the Philippines, Eugene was flown to the United States for further treatment and rehabilitation.
In a taped interview with S-Files last January 14, Jeni described what their relationship was like before they broke up.
"Nung nasa States ako... Kasi during that time kasi, nagkakalabuan na kami. Nag-aaway na kami parati," Jeni said.
"I was depressed for a time and I got confused. Baka I'm better off with him. Malaki ang pinagbago niya," she continued.
Apparently, Eugene—who was in the US for a major surgery—was unhappy with Jeni's decision to return to the Philippines to work on projects. He also suspected, Jeni said, that she was having a relationship with another guy.
In a taped phone interview for the same S-Files episode, Eugene did say: "Actually, I know there is. I know there's another person. I don't care now. She's a party girl out there in the Philippines."
He added, "I just don't have to deal with it. The situation, in my place, is very
sensitive. I'm still in a wheelchair."
To this, Jeni, a former FHM Babe, said, "Parang inisip ko na lang, na parang ako na nga lang hindi ko na kaya. Everything na nagawa ko for you, nakapagsalita ka nang ganun sa akin?"
Still smarting, she said, "Parang ano'ng gagawin mo diyan? Ano, ganun ba yun, 'yong career mo, ganyan? Parang nasaktan ako. Ito yung buhay ko e. Ito yung naging buhay ko, 'tapos sasabihan mo ako nang ganun?"
Jeni concedes that the accident might have caused the change in attitude of her former boyfriend.
"Yun lang siguro yung naging trigger point
sa akin. Di ko rin siya masisisi. Siguro nagiging ganun siya, mainitin ang
ulo, kasi nga because of his condition," Jeni ended.