Fans of Mexican American TV icon Xavier López, better known as “Chabelo,” continue to mourn the death of the famous entertainer across social media. López died Saturday morning (March 25) at the age of 88.
Now, his son, Xavier López Miranda, is speaking to the media and giving them the entire story about what happened the morning of his father’s death.
“Very early on, my father began to have trouble breathing,” Miranda said during a press conference. “My mother called me, and we ran to look for him. We rushed him into the hospital.”
Miranda revealed that his father died of septic shock. “It was sudden and unexpected,” he said. “It was very fast, and thank God he did not suffer.” According to the Mayo Clinic, septic shock is a “dramatic drop in blood pressure that can damage the lungs, kidneys, liver, and other organs.”
Miranda asked for privacy during this difficult time for his family and added that it could be possible that they would pay tribute to his father at a theater in Mexico City in the future. “My father was always a very private person,” he said. “At least today, we ask that you allow us to honor and remember him privately.”
Born in Chicago in 1935, López rose to fame as the star of the TV series En familia con Chabelo, which aired on Sunday mornings in Mexico from 1968 to 2012. López holds two Guinness World Records: one for the longest career as a children’s television host (44 years) and the other for the longest TV character portrayal (57 years).
On Saturday morning, López’s family confirmed his death. “With a torn soul and knowing that many and many people have loved him for many years and that they will feel his departure, we ask you to pray for his rest and give us the opportunity to spend in peace the mourning that overwhelms our entire family,” they wrote.