Aleena Acosta thought it was some kind of family myth. Her uncle Rey had always told her that he’d been serenaded onstage by the one and only Selena Quintanilla, but she had never believed him. Plus, he didn’t have any proof — until earlier this month, when her aunt found photos of the magic Tejano moment.
Acosta posted the pictures, which were taken at the Midland Chaparral Center in Texas, on social media and watched her tweets get more than 141,000 likes. In the pictures, her uncle appears adorably shocked—and clad in one of the most fantastic button-downs we’ve ever seen—as Selena sings directly to him.
“He was 18 & a senior in high school & Selena had picked him out of the front row to go on stage,” Acosta shared on Twitter. “She sang ‘Que Creías’ & the only thing between them was a microphone.”
my tío Rey told me Selena sang to him but I never believed him bc my tía forgot where she put the pictures but she found them.. I’m crying pic.twitter.com/ejjZtIhzWG
— honeybun ? (@aleenaacostaa) February 22, 2018
Only a microphone between them ♥️: info thread below pic.twitter.com/NYwY4jiF1V
— honeybun ? (@aleenaacostaa) February 23, 2018
Picture was taken in 1993, Midland Tx. at the Midland Chaparral Center. He was 18 & a senior in high school & Selena had picked him out of the front row to go on stage. She sang Que Creias & the only thing between them was a microphone.
— honeybun ? (@aleenaacostaa) February 23, 2018
Speaking to MySanAntonio.com, Acosta also shared that her uncle had attended the concert with his sister, and the two had landed in the front row. When Selena asked for volunteers to join her onstage, something she did frequently when singing her early song “Que Creías,” the siblings began going “crazy” until she plucked Rey from the crowd.
“After she sang the song, Rey jumped off the stage not knowing he had left Selena with her arms wide opened about to give him a hug,” she said. “That was his only regret of the night.”
Acosta told Remezcla that her aunt had lost the photos about 10 years ago, and had always spent time looking for them. On Thursday, she finally came across them in a box of old photos from her husband’s childhood. Acosta describes her whole family as “super fans of Selena,” so naturally they were thrilled with the image.
“When I first saw them I wanted to cry,” Acosta told Remezcla. “I was simply at a loss for words. My aunt was so excited because she felt so guilty for losing them in the first place. My tío was just happy to prove to me that he was not lying about being serenaded by the Queen Selena.”
The pictures recreate a special time, and they keep Selena’s legacy alive through memories from her fans. The Queen of Tejano died almost 23 years ago, but that hasn’t kept her enthusiasts from constantly celebrating the legendary star. They lobbied for a MAC make-up line to be released back in 2016, and rejoiced when Madame Tussauds released a limited-time wax figure in her honor. Last year, she got a special tribute with a brilliant Google Doodle that highlighted her life and career, and honored that iconic purple jumpsuit. Google also launched a digital exhibition on their Arts & Culture platform in collaboration with The Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, Texas, continuing the tradition of anything for Selenas.
Update, 2/27/2018, 4:50 p.m.: This piece has been updated to include quotes from Acosta.
Special thanks to Amanda Alcantara.
