BETHSER DABLO
Tangub News Desk
TANGUB CITY—Parents and relatives of 22-year old Leafil Alforque are restive and cheerless as they appealed to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for help.
They have been calling on the DFA office, through the City Mayor’s office, to link up with the state of Oregon to check on Leafil, who was declared missing and presumed drowned, while on a date with fiancé Scott Henry Napper.
Leafil and Scott met online, were chatmates since 2005 and had been dating since Scott visited her last Nov. 24. They set a wedding date for Dec. 6.
The Associated Press reported that Scott brought Leafil to Proposal Rock near Neskowin Beach for a romantic marriage proposal when a sneaker wave swept her out to sea.
Alforque arrived in Oregon on a visa three days before the fateful trip to the Oregon coast.
Napper told AP the tide had receded around Proposal Rock on Saturday when they began to walk to it, with his planned proposition and the ring he carried in his pocket.
About 10 feet from the rock, a wave about 3 feet high suddenly came toward them.
“I turned into it to keep from getting pulled under it,” the professional trumpet player and substitute teacher said.
But the receding waters caught Leafil, only 4-foot-11 and 93 pounds, and swept her 30 feet away.
The 45-year-old Silverton man tore off his jacket to get rid of any extra weight, and when he looked up again she was gone.
“That's the last I saw of her,” he said, breaking into tears.
The Coast Guard was unable to respond from its Depoe Bay station due to dangerous water and thick fog, thus hampering rescue efforts and the search was eventually suspended.
Back in Tangub, Mayor Jennifer Tan said Leafil’s mother, Amelia, came to her for help and she dispatched an assistant to call the DFA right away.
Amelia is hoping Leafil’s remains would soon be recovered, adding she wanted her daughter’s body to be brought home.
Oregon police have said there was no foul play on Leafil’s death.