María Salud Ramírez Caballero, the woman who inspired the character of Mama Coco in the Disney-Pixar production CoconutOscar winner for best animated film in 2018, died this Sunday, Mexican authorities reported.
“I deeply regret the death of Madame María Salud Ramírez Caballero, ‘Mamá Coco’, tireless woman and example of life, inspiration of this beloved character who has traveled the world,” tweeted Roberto Monroy, secretary of tourism in Michoacán (west), the state where she is from.
María Salud Ramírez Caballero died at the age of 109 in her hometown of Santa Fe de la Laguna, near the touristic Lake of Pátzcuaro where the traditional “Day of the Dead” is celebrated, according to information released by local media.
local celebrity
This 2017 feature film, directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina, tells the story of a boy who searches for his family’s history through this Mexican tradition. The film made María Salud Ramírez Caballero a celebrity. Tourists regularly came to her house to take photos with this woman who looked almost identical to the character of Mama Coco, Mexican media reported.
“The greatest thanks to the people of Mexico. ‘Coco’ would not exist without its infinitely beautiful culture and traditions,” said Lee Unkrich, the director of the Oscar-winning film.
Source: BFM TV
