Cherie Gil remembered by children, fellow celebrities on her 60th birthday
Cherie Gil with Agot Isidro, Mylene Dizon and director Andoy Ranay; Cherie with her children Raphael and Bianca. Image: Instagram/@missmylenedizon, @raphrogoff
Cherie Gil’s memories are kept alive by her children Raphael and Bianca Rogoff as well as celebrities who honored the late actress on what would have been her 60th birthday.
Raphael expressed his longing for his mom as he imagined how they would have celebrated the occasion together, in an open letter on his Instagram page on Wednesday, June 21.
“You’d be 60 today so I’m missing you a little more than usual. We should be dancing in the park and feeling the grass between our toes, or celebrating over dinner and drinks, wondering, ‘Where does the time go?'” he wrote.
“You moved on 321 days ago, with 1440 minutes in a day and you brushing my mind at least ten times, I’ve thought about you 46,224 times or something like that… not particularly keeping track,” he continued.
Raphael recalled the laughs he shared with Cherie, noting how the veteran actress “lived a life full of adventure” even if they were not able to spend her older days together.
“For a while life has felt grim, but I think of you and you give my frown a spin,” he stated. “I carry you with me always, near or far, in my heart. Thank you for teaching me how to live, Momma!”
“I’m sure it’s a party wherever you are right now; cause you always knew how to dance to the music of life. I’m still learning from you,” he concluded.
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Bianca, for her part, dedicated her version of Townes Van Zandt’s “I’ll Be Here in the Morning” to her mom, recounting how music—along with theater and film—gave a “sense of ease and deeper understanding” in their relationship. Bianca also disclosed that her brother, Jay Eigenmann, helped her record the song.
“Today my hilarious, fun-loving, complicated, overly talented mom would’ve turned 60, a birthday she was eager to hit,” Bianca said. “I always planned on sharing this song on her birthday: a cover of a song I played on repeat while mom was sick. The lyrics brought me a lot of comfort and it’s back on repeat today as I think of the last year we spent together.”
Bianca then hoped that through the song, she would bring comfort as well to those who are longing for their loved ones.
“No matter what we would have ended up doing, it was gonna be a party with mom. I do not doubt she is having a party right now,” she stated.
“Celebrating you today, mom… I’ve thought about you everyday since you left and I still feel you everywhere. Thanks for sticking by me,” she added. “Will dance to the music of life, silly woman, and to not take things (and myself) too seriously. You did such a good job. I love you.”
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Cherie’s fellow celebrities who also remembered the late actress were Mylene Dizon, Agot Isidro, Lea Salonga and Frankie Pangilinan.
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Image: Instagram/@agotisidro
Image: Instagram/@raphrogoff
Image: Instagram/@bianca.rogoff
Raphael and Bianca are Cherie’s children with husband Rony Rogoff, while Jay is the late actress’ eldest son with veteran actor-comedian Leo Martinez.
Gil, known as Philippine show biz’s “La Primera Contravida,” died in August last year after her battle with endometrial cancer. /ra
