Gary V remembers how Teejay Cruz helped him and his family
After Teejay Cruz’s death, an outpouring of love and fond memories were shared by his family and others whose lives he had touched.
Image: Instagram/@bodiecruz
READ: Former actor Bodie Cruz bids goodbye to brother Teejay
One of those who honored Teejay was singer and dancer Gary Valenciano.
Mr. Pure Energy recounted his experience with him during the first night of Teejay’s wake on Nov. 22, as seen in videos shared by Teejay’s mother, Lynn Ynchausti, today, Nov. 27.
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“The first night I met him was in the hospital. Actually that’s when I really got to know him as to who he was being the son of Tirso and Lynn,” Valenciano said.
“He was taking care of me. I was going to have an executive checkup. It was Holy Week and the day I checked out he was the one with me all the time.”
“The next time that I was with him, he was taking care of my dad a week before my dad passed away because of pancreatic cancer,” shared Valenciano.
“Then last year, my best friend Manolet Santos—who himself was a man who got me into mountain biking, who got me into the music that I do today—he also suffered from pancreatic cancer. The man who took care of him was Teejay.”
Manolet Santos was also known by his stage name “DJ Papi.”
Valenciano went on to commend Teejay’s upbringing: “It was just in the way that he was through his actions that showed me that Tirso and Lynn, you both did an incredible job.”
Angeli Pangilinan, Valenciano’s wife was also all praises for Teejay in a comment on Lynn’s post.
“Your amazing son served my father-in-law Vic Valenciano when he was at St. Luke’s BGC before he passed away. He also took care of Gary during his executive check-up,” she recalled.
“I have this theory that sometimes the Lord reclaims those that have been so faithful and pure because He wants them close to Him and so they would not be stained by a very lost world… I love you sis.”
Image: Instagram/@lynncruz525
“Thank you @garyvalenciano (Gary Valenciano) and @angelipv (Angeli Pangilinan) for your love for my son. He must be smiling from heaven! Proud of you my dearest TJ!” Lynn said in an Instagram post today where she shared the second part of Valenciano’s tribute.
Teejay was 37 when he died due to lymphatic cancer on Nov. 21. His remains were cremated yesterday, Nov. 26.
From being an actor in the 1990s, he went on to work in a hospital and raised funds for children with critical illnesses through a volleyball tournament called Spike for Hope. /ra
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