Unang kumalat noong Lunes, Abril 21, 2025 ang balitang pumanaw ang mang-aawit na si Hajji Alejandro.
Ito ang pinag-uusapan sa burol noon ni Nora Aunor sa The Heritage Park, Taguig City.
Read: OPM icon Hajji Alejandro dies at 70
Isang taong may kinalaman sa entertainment industry ang nag-post sa Facebook tungkol sa pamamaalam ng isang OPM Legend, pero binura niya makalipas ang ilang minuto.
Kinabukasan, Abril 22, kinumpirma ng naulilang pamilya ni Hajji ang pagpanaw nito habang nagaganap ang Pagpupugay ng Bayan para kay Nora sa Metropolitan Theater sa Maynila.
Stage-4 colon cancer ang sanhi ng kamatayan ni Hajji sa edad na 70.
Pareho sila ng ikinamatay ng dating karelasyon, ang former beauty queen, Eat Bulaga! host, at aktres na si Rio Diaz (Agosto 14, 1959-Oktubre 4, 2004).
Si Rio ang ina ni Ali Alejandro, na anak ni Hajji.
Disyembre 1998 nang matuklasan ni Rio ang karamdaman nitong Stage-4 colon cancer.
Nagpagamot siya sa Amerika at gumaling, pero bumalik ang kanyang sakit na kanyang ikinamatay noong Oktubre 2004.
Read: Why is Alynna "unable" to go to Hajji Alejandro’s wake?
HAJJI ALEJANDRO AND RIO diaz SON ALI
Si Ali ang nag-iisang anak nina Hajji at Rio.
Ang kapatid sa ama ni Ali na si Rachel Alejandro ay may anekdota tungkol sa araw ng pagsilang ni Rio kay Ali.
Balik-tanaw ni Rachel: "Ali was born on Nov. 2 because his mom, my beautiful Tita Rio Diaz got stuck in traffic on All Saint’s Day, had to park quite a distance away and walked to the cemetery.
"She went into labor after that!
"A gentle soul, Ali is amazingly gifted in so many ways, but to me, his greatest quality is that he is champion dad, husband, son and brother."
Sa eulogy ni Ali para kay Hajji, sa The Heritage Park noong Miyerkules, Abril 23, nagsalita siya na inspirasyon niya ang kanyang ama.
"Dad, you called me your favorite son. Dad, you are my favorite dad," ang ilan sa pahayag ni Ali.
Read: Alynna opens up about Hajji Alejandro's battle with cancer
RACHEL ALEJANDRO TRIBUTE FOR DAD HAJJI ALEJANDRO
Nagbigay-pugay naman si Rachel sa ama nila ni Ali sa pamamagitan ng isang video at ibinahagi niya ang mensahe sa kanyang Facebook page.
"What happens when the brightest star in a galaxy dies? My Dad was our sun and we were planets, orbiting around him, basking in his warmth and light.
"As kids, we tagged along to all his activities, be it shows, rehearsals, basketball games — it didn’t matter what it was.
"We would fall asleep at Dolphy’s house if he was there for an all-night poker game.
"There was nowhere else we would rather be than by his side because every minute in his presence was fun."
"Even as adults, we craved his company even as we got married and went about our own lives," lahad ni Rachel.
Read: Rachel Alejandro, ibinalitang "doing better" ang amang si Hajji
Tinitingala raw ni Rachel ang ama sa lahat ng bagay.
"I hung on to his every word about politics, financial investments or the latest joke he planned on including in his next concert with the Hitmakers.
"He loved to make people laugh as much as he loved to sing and dance.
"My Dad never had a talent manager (except recently when he asked his partner, Alynna, to handle his bookings) rarely posted on social media and never needed to pay for any sort of PR or marketing.
"He was a bonafide star and his success was purely because talent, hard work and charisma.
"He was always so entertaining on and off stage and made everyone around him feel special."
Ayon kay Rachel, isang good provider si Hajji at lubos din ang pagmamahal nito sa pagkanta.
Kahit nang magkasakit ay umasa raw si Hajji na gagaling ito para makatungtong muli ng entablado.
Lahad ni Rachel: "When he got ill, he asked us to keep it private, which is why none of his family ever spoke about it.
"He was fully prepared to get well and get back to work, which was why he wanted to avoid word leaking out about his sickness.
"My Dad was a happy, optimistic man who valued having a good, comfortable life, yes, but more importantly, he prioritized providing for his partner, mother and children.
"And his way of doing that from the time he had me at the young age of 19, was through his golden singing voice, which is why regardless of how he was feeling, he never cancelled shows.
"Even when he was already in considerable pain, he performed in 2 more events before he was admitted into the hospital for surgery."
Pagpapatuloy pa niya: "For Dad, every show is a blessing and performing for you all is our highest calling as singers.
"Two months of hospital stays and spending time with him at his home and I was still not prepared as I helplessly watched him breathe his final breath."
Pamamaalam ni Rachel sa ama:
"What happens to those a star of this magnitude leaves behind?
"I don’t have answers for that yet as I struggle to grasp living in a universe without our Daddwaps.
"But I intend to make him proud in everything I do, to live by his code of honor and goodness, to perform for you all with everything I’ve got and leave it all on the stage every single time.
"I will now just be singing and dancing with Dad in my dreams…"