He met a shocking and tragic end after a seemingly innocent interaction left him suffering from terrifying symptoms
A beloved actor suffered an agonising death after letting a rabid puppy lick an open wound – and later refusing treatment for the devastating disease.
Allan Fernando Reyes Poe, better known as Fernando Poe Sr, met a shocking and tragic end after cementing himself as a star of the screen during the golden age of Philippine cinema in the mid-20th Century.
He became a top actor and director in his home country and was also a distinguished soldier, decorated for his service during the Second World War.
Poe’s life took a horrifying turn in October 1951 when he was rushed to hospital after reporting severe pain in his hip, an injury he thought he’d sustained during a pillow fight with another actor at a party.
Eight specialists treated him and provided a range of medications, none of which had any effect. The following day, Poe reported difficulties breathing and stiffness in his muscles, particularly in the neck.
Dr Eliodoro Congco, the owner of the clinic and a family friend, took his wife Bessie aside and asked if he’d had any interactions with dogs in the past several days.
She confessed that Poe had let a puppy lick a wound and later refused rabies treatment, mistakenly believing he would be fine.
His condition dramatically worsened, and he began to suffer from hydrophobia, an aversion to water, which severely dehydrates rabies victims.
On 23 October 1951, at just 35 years old, Fernando Poe Sr. was pronounced dead. His sudden death threw the film industry into mourning, shocking fans and colleagues alike.
His son Fernando Poe Jr later clarified in interviews that his dad had never believed the puppy could infect him, and thought letting it lick his wound would speed up the healing process. This tragic misjudgment ultimately cost him his life.
Rabies affects the central nervous system, spreading through the saliva of infected mammals—most commonly dogs, bats, raccoons, and other warm-blooded animals. It typically enters the body through a bite, scratch, or when infected saliva comes into contact with broken skin.
Once the virus reaches the brain and begins to multiply, symptoms escalate dramatically. Patients can develop anxiety, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, muscle spasms, trouble swallowing, and the notorious hydrophobia—an intense fear of water caused by involuntary throat spasms.
One of the most frightening aspects of rabies is its fatality rate, which stands at nearly 100% once symptoms begin. It is one of the deadliest infectious diseases known to man.
Poe Sr.’s passing came just after he completed work on his final film, Basag na Manika, a moving story about the shunned child of a leper. The movie’s premiere was even postponed in respect for his passing, leaving his death as one of the most heartbreaking moments in Philippine movie history.
His legacy lives on not only through his films, but also through his children — especially Fernando Poe Jr., who became a national icon and narrowly missed becoming president of the Philippines after entering politics.
