Nora Aunor’s impersonator Ate Gay performs ‘Kahit Konting Awa’ during wake
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Gil “Ate Gay” Aducal Morales (left) and Nora Aunor. Images: Facebook/Gil Aducal Morales (Ate Gay), Ian de Leon
Gil Aducal Morales, who is best known as Ate Gay, expressed his love and gratitude for Nora Aunor with a rendition of the song “Kahit Konting Awa” during the latter’s wake.
Ate Gay was emotional as she performed Aunor’s “Kahit Konting Awa” in honor of the National Artist’s life and legacy, as seen on the comedian’s Facebook page on Saturday, April 19.
“Hangga’t may Noranian, may Nora Aunor. Di ka nawala sa puso namin. Salamat sa tatlong dekada na pagiging Ate Gay ko dahil sa’yo, Ms. Nora Aunor. Pagbubutihin ko pa lalo. Gabayan niyo po ako,” his post read.
(Until there is a Noranian, there is Nora Aunor. You never left our hearts. I became Ate Gay for three decades because of you, Ms. Nora Aunor. I will make it even better. Please guide me from above.)
Touching on the National Artist’s kindness, Ate Gay said Aunor was not selfish when it came to allowing her identity to be impersonated.
“Kay Nora Aunor, mula nag-work ako, bet ko na siya. Kaya nagpapasalamat ako sa kanya. Naikot ko buong mundo dahil sa kanya… kumbaga, sinusuportahan niya mga gumagaya sa kanya. Hindi siya maramot. Hindi niya kami pinagbabawalan [na gayahin siya],” he said.
(I became a fan of Nora Aunor when I started working. I’m very grateful to her. I got to travel around the world because of her. She was supportive of her impersonators. She was not selfish. She didn’t stop us from impersonating her.)
The comedian also shared that the National Artist played a huge role in inspiring him to do better in his craft.
“Natutunan ko sa kanya maging mabuti sa tao, maging mabait sa fans. Natuto akong mang-aliw ng mga manonood at sa pag-arte (I learned from her how to be good to people, to be kind to fans. I learned how to entertain audiences and act better),” he said.
Aunor died of acute respiratory failure at the age of 71 on April 16, just a month before her 72nd birthday. An internment and a state funeral will be held in her honor on Tuesday, April 22.
The screen veteran is survived by Ian de Leon, her biological son with ex-husband Christopher de Leon, as well as by their four adoptive children, namely, Lotlot, Matet, Kiko and Kenneth.
