Dani Barretto, a close friend of Ryan Santiago, actor Randy Santiago’s son, posted photos on Instagram with emotional messages.
“Words cannot express the pain I am feeling right now, but what comforts me is that I know you’re in a better place now and you’re not hurting anymore,” she wrote.
“Batukan mo ko pag tatanga tanga ako ha (hit me when I’m acting dumb, okay?),” she added.
In another post, she shared a photo of the pair locked in an embrace.
“In your arms I always felt safe and loved,” she shared. “Please excuse my tears, as I have to get used to the fact that it’s gonna take awhile before I see that smile of yours and feel your embrace again.”
A post shared by Dani Barretto (@danibarretto) on
Sister Julia also had a short and sweet message for their childhood friend: “You were a ray of sunshine. Thank you for all the laughter growing up.”
Rest In Peace Ryan You were a ray of sunshine. Thank you for all the laughter growing up…
A post shared by Julia Barretto (@juliabarretto) on
The sisters and Ryan were friends since childhood, because their mothers, Marjorie Barretto and Marilou Coronel, were also close.
In an exclusive interview with Philippine Entertainment Portal, Dani admitted that she wasn’t able to see him that much when he fell ill to multiple sclerosis.
He passed away on August 13 at 24 years old.
She remembered him for his strength: “He was fighting for his family. That was one thing I noticed about him, na lumalaban siya [para] sa family niya, sa mommy niya, sa kapatid niya, and he fought hard. Mga two years din. (He was fighting for his family, for his mom, his siblings, and he fought hard for about two years.)”
She further shared in the interview, “I’m gonna live my life the way he would always want me to live it—full of adventures, fearless, and only a happy life.” JB
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