The late seasoned actress Cherie Gil was remembered by her family on what would have been her 60th birthday.
On Instagram, Bianca and Raphael, Cherie's kids with ex-husband Rony Rogoff, penned heartwarming messages.
Raphael noted how he misses his mom.
"You’d be 60 today so I’m missing you a little more than usual," he expressed on his social media account. "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?'"
"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. Even though I thought you’d be around till I’d help you put in dentures, you lived a life full of adventure. Full to the brim. For a while life has felt grim, but I think of you and you give my frown a spin," Raphael continued.
According to him, they laugh all the time. And they still are.
"I carry you with me always, near or far, in my heart," he said.
Raphael then thanked his late mother for teaching him how to live.
"Happiest of birthdays. 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 ended.
Cherie's unica hija, meanwhile, dedicated Don Williams' song "I’ll Be Here in the Morning," uploading an online cover version of her.
"Today my hilarious, fun-loving, complicated, overly talented mom would’ve turned 60, a birthday she was eager to hit," she wrote as caption on Instagram.
"In many ways, theatre, film, and music gave us a sense of ease and deeper understanding in our relationship. Home videos of us singing since I was 2 years old, dance parties in Residencia, having her listen to the new revelations I made as a beginner on the guitar and seeing her tear up (because of my singing not because I was disgustingly bad at guitar which, btw, I am but that’s besides the point)… Spoken word never seemed to serve us as much as music and media did."
Bianca said she always planned on sharing the song on Cherie's birthday.
She related it was a cover of a song she played on repeat while her 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," she said.
"I hoped for this to function as a larger gift from my mom to you, allowing me and my older brother Jay (who recorded, mixed, and mastered this) to just act as a bridge. For those who might be going through something similar with a loved one, maybe it’ll bring you the same comfort. These things are never easy. I feel you and for you and maybe in some ways, I understand."
Bianca stressed: "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. Celebrating you today, mom. With a much more upbeat song, don’t worry. I’ve thought about you everyday since you left and I still feel you everywhere. Thanks for sticking by me. 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."
Jay Eigenmann is Cherie's son with former partner, Leo Martinez.
Late last year when De Mesa-Gil family announced the untimely death of Cherie.
In a statement, they noted how the 59-year-old passed away "peacefully" in her sleep on August 5 after a "brave" battle against cancer.
"Cherie was diagnosed with a rare form of endometrial cancer in October of last year after deciding to relocate to New York City to be closer to her children. She then underwent treatment at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center of New York," part of the statement read.
"It was her request that her diagnosis be kept private, and as a family, we supported her in this decision. Cherie fought bravely against her illness, with grace and strength. Despite her struggles, she always managed to exude courage and never lost her trademark sass, wit, and infectious humor, or her larger-than-life personality. She spent her last days surrounded by family and loved ones," they added.