Bela Padilla is mourning the passing of his father, Cornelio Sullivan, as she confirmed the sad news on Monday.
The actress, whose real name Krista Cariño Sullivan, shared photos of her and her father on Instagram as she reminisced about their moments together. She also reflected on how life is a "series of highs and lows."
"Our dad passed away last night in his sleep and that is my only consolation in all of this. He wasn’t in pain and he hopefully was dreaming of the happy times in his life," she wrote.
Bela also paid tribute to his father who lived his life to the fullest.
"My sister, Ceri, told me the most beautiful thing last night…my dad loved us, his children, deeply. And he also loved himself. And that certainly is true. My dad loved life and lived his life to the fullest he could. He always knew where all the cool places were in any country he was in and the bands in bars loved him because he always sang along," she continued.
The actress went on to recall how her love for diving began when her dad taught her how to swim and “be fearless” at an early age.
"I love the water and I dive deeply because he taught me to swim and be fearless in the water at such an early age. His ability to see a problem and think of several solutions first before reacting is something I try to practice. He never took no for an answer when he believed something was right and he made sure that everybody knew what “right” was. I never saw him upset…or lose his cool. Never saw him get angry or mad at anybody (in front of me). He was very empathetic but still madly funny. And he gave the best hugs, never letting go first," Padilla said.
"I will always wish for one more day, but that would be unfair. For now, and until paradise comes, the memories will tide us over."
Bela's celebrity friends and fans flocked to her comment section to extend their sympathies.
In May 2019, Bela flew to Thailand, where his father was based, after she learned that Sullivan was hospitalized.
