Bela Padilla and her dad Cornelio Sullivan. Image: Instagram/@bela
Bela Padilla expressed grief as she confirmed that her British father, Cornelio Sullivan, passed away in his sleep on Sunday night, Aug. 27.
The actress, who just attended the wedding of her friend and fellow actress Lovi Poe in England, reflected on how life “is a series of highs and lows,” through her Instagram page on Monday, Aug. 28.
“Our dad passed away last night in his sleep and that is my only consolation in all of this. He wasn’t in pain and he hopefully was dreaming of the happy times in his life,” Padilla wrote.
Padilla recalled her memories with Sullivan and spoke about how he loved his children deeply and “lived his life to the fullest he could.” The actress further disclosed that her love for diving began when her dad taught her how to swim and “be fearless” at an early age.
“His ability to see a problem and think of several solutions first before reacting is something I try to practice. He never took no for an answer when he believed something was right and he made sure that everybody knew what ‘right’ was,” she said.
“He was very empathetic but still madly funny. And he gave the best hugs, never letting go first,” she added. “I will always wish for one more day, but that would be unfair. For now, and until paradise comes, the memories will tide us over.”
Fans and fellow celebrities including Anne Curtis, Kylie Verzosa, Sharon Cuneta and Vhong Navarro offered their condolences to Padilla via the comments section.
Image: Instagram/@bela
Image: Instagram/@bela
Image: Instagram/@bela
Image: Instagram/@bela
In 2019, Padilla flew to Thailand, where Sullivan was based, after the actress was informed that her dad was confined in an intensive care unit. The actress did not immediately disclose his condition at the time. /ra