Regine Velasquez’s dad, 76 by Pau Aguilera February 3, 2014 Singer Regine Velasquez-Alcasid’s father, Gerardo “Mang Gerry” Velasquez, passed away Monday afternoon at The Medical City in Pasig City due to cardiac arrest. He was 76. Velasquez was at a press conference for her Valentine’s Day concert “Voices of Love” when she got the news. She came late to the interview but only said there was an “emergency” she attended to. The singer revealed later that they had brought Gerardo to the hospital though there was nothing to worry about as “he was due for check-up anyway, napaaga lang.” Regine posted about her father’s death on Instagram. She wrote: “The leader of the band, Mang Gerry, joined his creator 1:39 pm today. Thank you for praying for him during all these time that he has been fighting for his life. God bless you all.” Gerardo had been in and out of the hospital since last year when he even underwent surgery. He was able to spend the holidays at home with his family. The patriarch is survived by his wife Teresita Velasquez and Regine’s siblings Cacai, Deca, Diane and Jojo Velasquez. Fans and friends, including co-artists, offered their condolences to the singer and her family, particularly on Twitter. Jaya Ramsey Gotidoc: “Paalam po Mang Gerry…di po namin kayo malilimutan.” Ryan Cayabyab: “@reginevalcasid my heartfelt condolences.” On Facebook, Lea Salonga wrote: “Rest in peace, Mang Gerry. I will always remember you as a fixture by Reg’s side at gigs from when we were young ones in the biz. Always present, forever supportive. I don’t think of Reg without thinking of you. To Ogie and Regine, you are in our prayers and we send hugs to you and your family.” Gerardo was more than a father to Regine. He trained the singer in her youth, including the technique of immersing herself in water to build lung power. He was always present in Regine’s shows and even picked some of her winning songs in amateur singing contests that eventually paved the way to stardom. On TV shows and in some of her concerts, Regine would usually dedicate the song “Leader Of The Band” to Mang Gerry, including the time her voice faltered in a major concert late 2012 when she ended up singing it to him in tears onstage. mb.ph/regine-velasquezs-dad-76/
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 21:48:09 +0000