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Rufa Mae Quinto breaks silence on husband Trevor Magallanes' death
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Comedian and actress Rufa Mae Quinto has set the record straight following the sudden passing of her husband, Trevor Magallanes, in July 2025. In a heartfelt YouTube message, Rufa Mae spoke directly to fans and the public, clarifying what happened, honoring Trevor's plans for their family, and explaining how she and their child are trying to move forward while grieving.
Rufa Mae began by sharing why she felt compelled to make a statement on her channel: she wanted to speak openly and protect the memory and peace of her family.
"Hello, mga friends. Ito po ako ngayon, sa aking YouTube channel, dahil as promised, I will make my official statement here. Alam niyo naman po lahat a month ago eh binawian po ng buhay or nag-pass away po ang aking asawa na si Trevor.
"Kaya naka-black po ako kasi nagluluksa ako at nagdadalamhati bilang asawa, bilang may anak kami. So gusto ko lang sanang i-clarify din ang lahat ng mga gusto kong i-clarify para rin manahimik na rin ang soul ng asawa ko, soul ko, pati ng anak namin."
She said she wanted to tell the truth about what happened and the real reason Trevor was taken from them.
"Kaya ikukwento ko po sa inyo ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit po siya kinuha ni God."
Rufa Mae explained that continuing to work, to make jokes and laugh again, is part of how she is keeping herself and their child afloat emotionally.
"Kaya siguro 'yun 'yung isang reason kung bakit ko gustong magtrabaho. Kasi nga ang hirap pong magmukmok, magluksa. Kaya gusto kong magtrabaho para mag-isip ng funny, ng jokes para tumawa."
She clarified emphatically that Trevor's death was not by suicide nor the result of foul play; the autopsy reportedly described the cause as “sudden death.”
"Kasi ayoko pong umabot ako sa talagang lugmok na lugmok sa kalungkutan dahil sudden death po ang nangyari. Wala pong suicide or foul play na nangyari po sa asawa ko. Bata pa siya pero ganun talaga siguro. Yun po ang sabi sa autopsy."
Rufa Mae acknowledged the deep, unanswered questions grief brings, like “Why now? Why so soon?” and said she's trying to balance her sorrow with a need to be strong for their child.
"Yun nga hindi ko rin masasagot ang tanong kasi tanong ko din 'yun eh. Bakit? Ba't ngayon? Ba't ang aga pa? Bakit bata pa? Kaya nakikita niyo rin ako na tumatawa-tawa. Kasi una gusto ko ring maging masaya para sa energy ko din makuha ng anak ko. Kasi ako na lang inaasahan niya na physically present.
"Kaya kung makikita niya akong walang katapusan, 24 hours na nagmo-mourn, umiiyak eh umiiyak na rin siya. So ngayon masaya siya at nakakapaglaro-laro kumbaga nadi-distract din niya yung mind niya kasi nga gumagawa kami ng mga paraan para lumigaya kami at magtrabaho."
She also spoke about their shared life together and how Trevor wouldn't have wanted her to fall apart entirely.
"At syempre alam niyo naman pong komedyante naman ang work ko at kahit asawa ko, komedyante rin siya. Hindi niya gustong makitang magpakalosyang ako or mawala 'yung confidence ko, ma-depress, alam mo yun? Pero hindi ko sinasabing okay ako, pero baka in denial pa din ako. Alam mo 'yun? Kasi pagod din ako eh. Nagpunta akong America."
Rufa Mae detailed the practical and painful tasks she carried out in the U.S., such as taking charge of Trevor's body, arranging prayer ceremonies, cremation, and a celebration of his life, which she described as emotionally exhausting but necessary.
"Kaya nung nagpunta ako sa America dahil ako po 'yung asawa, ako lang ang may karapatang kumuha ng body niya. Ginawa ko 'yun tsaka maghanap ng chapel. I-pag-pray at i-cremate at bigyan po siya ng celebration of life or viewing. Ginawa ko lahat 'yun at sa America po 'yun. Hindi po madali 'yun kasi wala naman po akong maraming kasama doon na kaibigan or buti na lang natawid ko naman lahat kaya siguro ngayon medyo 'yun 'yung pahinga, 'yung medyo magtrabaho ka din, tumawa-tawa ka din, 'yun lalo na kung maganda naman 'yung trabahong nakukuha ko."
She insisted that while she and their child try to find moments of lightness and continue working, that does not mean they are no longer grieving.
"Kung ano po yung nakikita niyong ginagawa namin kung maligaya man o makulit eh ganun lang po talaga 'yun pero hindi ibig sabihin eh okay kami, na hindi kami nagluluksa. Thank you din sa mga mga taong nakikiramay."
She also clarified that she and Trevor did have marital problems, but did not file for divorce. "Wala po kaming pinagsisisihan dito, dahil nagmahalan po kami mula umpisa na nagsama kami, never po kami naghiwalay. Talagang kami po dalawa mula as in on the very first day alam ko na, na siya ang mahal ko."
"Hindi po ako nag-asawa ng bata ah. 36-37 na po ako nag-asawa. Alam niyo yun? Tapos 'yung syempre bilang 9 years na kami, hindi naman perfect syempre ang buhay. Nag-aaway-away din. Kaya nung last year nag-Hawaii kami dahil birthday niya November 26 and November 25 wedding anniversary namin tsaka Thanksgiving last November. Doon po kami nagsimulang nagkaroon ng pag hindi pagkakaunawaan, kasi dapat pinapunta niya kaming mag-ina sa Hawaii. Hindi ko naman akalain na biglang pumutok naman 'yung issue ko, nagka-warrant of arrest ako. So ako naman hindi ko kinukwento, pero syempre pag galit na at hindi na niya masyadong ma-absorb, in English pa, syempre utal-utal din akong magsabi, so nag-mukhang guilty pa ang dating ko. So kaya syempre nagalit, pero nag-ayos po kami.
"Kaya nga po hindi kami nag-divorce kasi na-realize din niya na asawa niya ako. Tumatawag siya sa akin. Nag-aayos kami lahat."
Rufa Mae confronted rumors and suspicions circulating online, accusations that she had taken money out of Trevor's accounts or otherwise profited from his death. She denied them firmly and explained that there were lengthy processes and applications involved, and that she had not suddenly come into a large payout.
"At 'yun na nga po 'yung isa pa. Marami rin pong nag-isip na baka masaya ako dahil kinubra ko yung pera niya or winithdraw ko na agad 'yung pera. Wala pong katotohanan yan.
"Kami po ni Trevor nag-asawa po kami para bumuo ng pamilya. Late na ako nag-asawa kasi nga sinigurado ko na ang mapapangasawa ko ay panghabang buhay, until death do as part. Kaya ; yung mga iniisip na nagkupit ako or nag kubra ng pera or nag-withdraw sa bank account eh una mag-asawa po kami. Hindi po kami nagkaproblema sa pera kahit na kailan kasi simple lang ang buhay namin eh.
"So nagtatrabaho po siya at nag pulis siya para magkaroon po siya ng benefits pagka tanda ni Athena meron siyang pang-aral.
"Pero sa totoo, wala po akong nakuha kahit magkano, maraming proseso 'yan. May mga application form meron din schedule at hindi naman isang bagsak yata ang bigay."
She spoke of Trevor's intentions and planning for their child Athena's future, that Trevor wanted to secure benefits and care for their daughter well into her life and adulthood.
"Si Trev, nagplano siya ng maganda para sa amin na hanggang 100 years old ang anak ko eh maaalagaan siya kaya 'yun din po ang dahilan kung bakit siya po ang asawa ko. Kasi hanggang sa huli--ako po at ang anak ko ang inayos niya ang benefits namin."
Rufa Mae also addressed familial patterns of heart-related deaths, sharing that sudden cardiac events had affected relatives in the past, a context she said makes this loss feel like part of a painful family pattern.
She welcomed Jessie Magallanes, Trevor's older brother, who paid tribute to his memory.
Jessie said, "I'm here just to help out, spend some time, and show our love from America. Unfortunately, there were a lot of heart attacks and things ran in our family. My grandfather passed away with a heart attack. Our uncle passed away. He had a heart attack, and our father passed away at a young age as well. I was 16. Trevor was 14 at that time."
Rufa added, "Hindi lang naman ho sa amin to nangyayari, marami pong nangyaring ganito nga na nagba-basketball lang eh bigla nang hindi nakahinga. Yung nanay ko, natulog, hindi na gumising. Kapatid ko, brother ko 39 years old, ganun din, sa heart din. Tapos daddy ko nawala na rin. At 21 pa lang ako nun. So alam niyo yun? Lola ko na nagpalaki sa akin."
She shared a realization, "I feel like dying for me now is like hindi siya parang trahedya. It's like a part of life. Siguro, we're still in denial. We don't know, but one thing is for sure, I'm going to start working."
Despite the grief, Rufa Mae said she intends to work and to continue performing comedy, both as a livelihood and as a way to try to heal. She framed returning to work not as forgetting Trevor, but as one of the means through which she and their daughter can keep going.
"Siguro after this, we can leave this all behind para maka-move on din po ako. Hindi ko po sasabihin na makaka-move on talaga ako, pero gusto ko pong subukan. Kaya ang gagawin ko po ay magtatrabaho at alam niyo naman po ang line of work ko ay comedy. So magpapatawa po ako sa inyo, sa work ko, at matatawa rin siguro ako sa mga joke ko, pero hindi ibig sabihin non eh hindi kami nagluluksa."
Rufa Mae closed by sharing a video showing a celebration of Trevor's life and asking for understanding and privacy as they seek closure. Above all, she emphasized the love that anchored their marriage.
Her full YouTube message is being shared across social platforms, and fans continue to send condolences to Rufa Mae and Athena as they navigate the difficult weeks after Trevor's passing.
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