Vilma Santos, Gina Alajar, Melissa Mendez attend Nora Aunor’s wake
Celebrities attend the first day of the wake of the late Superstar Nora Aunor. Image: Facebook/Melissa Yap Mendez
Emotions ran high as celebrities Vilma Santos, Gina Alajar and Melissa Mendez, among others, attended the first day of the wake of the late superstar Nora Aunor.
Santos, who was among the first to offer her condolences in person, was seen wiping her tears as she exited the building at the Heritage Park in Taguig City on Thursday, April 17.
Despite the media-fueled rivalry and fan wars between their respective fanbases, the “Noranians” and “Vilmanians,” Aunor and Santos were long-term friends and had repeatedly expressed admiration for each other.
The two women worked together in the films “T-Bird at Ako” (1982) and “Ikaw ay Akin” (1978), both critically acclaimed.
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Meanwhile, Mendez provided a glimpse of her visit on her Facebook page. She posted photos alongside Alajar, Robin Padilla, Nadia Montenegro, National Artist Ricky Lee and others during the first night.
Aunor died on Wednesday after undergoing a medical procedure. She was 71. In a press conference, her son Ian de Leon clarified that his mother did not die during the medical operation but only afterward.
De Leon did not provide any further specifics about his mother’s ailment. Aunor’s second night of wake on Friday will remain private for family and close friends, while April 19 and 20 will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The late award-winning actress will be honored with a state funeral on Tuesday, April 22, ahead of her interment at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Aunor was conferred the title of National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2022. Her notable works include “Himala,” “Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo,” and “The Flor Contemplacion Story,” among others.
