Cocoy Laurel remembered by fellow celebs
Jenine Desiderio, Dulce and Lotlot de Leon with Cocoy Laurel. Image: Instagram/@j9desire; Facebook/Dulce Maritess Llamedo; Instagram/@ms.lotlotdeleon
Cocoy Laurel was honored by his fellow celebrities including Lotlot de Leon, Lea Salonga and Zsa Zsa Padilla, who recounted their fond memories of the late screen and stage veteran.
De Leon showed moments from when Laurel attended the wake of her mom, the late Superstar Nora Aunor, who was his former onscreen partner and close friend.
“When you came to visit Mom for the last time, you brought with you a beautiful painting you had made for her. You told me that you had always promised to create another one for her—and so, you brought it with you to her wake. You turned to me and said, ‘Lot, please keep this… I’m giving this to you as a gift. Keep it,'” De Leon recalled through her Instagram page.
De Leon regarded Laurel’s gift as a symbol of the late actor’s “deep friendship and lasting love” for Aunor.
“I accepted it with all my heart, and we will treasure it forever. Thank you, Tito Cocoy. May you rest in peace,” she added.
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Salonga paid tribute to Laurel and spoke about his kindness in her Facebook post.
“Your kindness is what I’ll always remember about you, which made you such a perfect leading man,” the theater actress said. “I met you when I was only 6 years old when you played Lun Tha in ‘The King and I,’ and saw you play Perchik (‘Fiddler on the Roof’) and Pippin so perfectly.”
“One evening in London when the Pinoys of Miss Saigon got together, you sat at the piano and played ‘We Are a Family’ from ‘Dreamgirls’ with so much enthusiasm and passion, as if to declare to those of us that do what we do are part of something bigger than ourselves. And you did it all with love,” she further recounted.
Padilla, for her part, thanked Laurel for her song “Point of No Return,” which he composed alongside Louie Ocampo.
“It became one of my signature songs, and I’ll always think of you when I sing it,” she wrote.
“I didn’t know our last meeting at Malacañang last May would be our final one,” she lamented. “You were so gracious, kind, and generous with your words. I was lucky to be seated beside you that day.”
Concluding her message, Padilla added, “Rest well, Cocoy. May you be in the loving embrace of our Creator.”
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Veteran singer Dulce also remembered Laurel, crediting him for being one of her inspirations during the early years of her singing career.
“I will never forget when you would often tell me ‘Please don’t stop singing…’ when you noticed I was on and off the music scene in the early 80’s. Salamat kapatid, mahal kita,” she said.
Jenine Desiderio paid tribute to Laurel as well through her Instagram page, lamenting the latter’s sudden passing.
“You made me believe in myself and my talents when I didn’t even know I had them. Your constant praise gave me wings to fly,” she said. “The portrait you made for me still hangs in my living room up to this day. Fly free, Coy…. I will forever be grateful. We love you!”
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Laurel died last June 14 at the age of 72. /ra
