A Filipina caregiver who died in an Iranian missile strike on Tel Aviv is being remembered by her employers in Israel as “an angel on Earth,” underscoring the sacrifices made by overseas Filipino workers in conflict zones.
Mary Ann Velasquez de Vera (in photo in 2020 with her Israeli employer and friends), 32, of Basista, Pangasinan, was fatally wounded on Feb. 28 while helping her elderly patient reach safety during the attack. According to her former employers, Barbara Wachspress and Janice Prawer, de Vera was injured but continued to assist her patient until she collapsed. She died while being rushed to the hospital.
“We wanted the public to know how special she was,” Wachspress told The Times of Israel, which first reported the story. “She was truly an angel on Earth.”
De Vera had been working in Israel since 2019, part of the thousands of overseas Filipino workers employed as caregivers. Friends and teachers in Pangasinan described her as kind, soft-spoken, and devoted to her work. Her former adviser, Butch Cayabyab, said she was remembered for her selflessness. “She secured her patient, but there was no time left to save herself,” he said in an interview with GMA News.
The Philippine Embassy in Israel confirmed her death and assured her family of assistance. Israel’s embassy in Manila also extended condolences, noting that de Vera exemplified the dedication of Filipino caregivers working abroad.
Her hometown community in Pangasinan has begun mourning her loss, with tributes highlighting her devotion to family and work. De Vera’s story has resonated across the Philippines, where millions of overseas workers continue to serve in vulnerable roles far from home.
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