Sa tribute post ni Rachel Alejandro sa namayapa niyang ama at OPM icon na si Hajji, ibinahagi niya ang sakit na nararamdaman sa pagpanaw ng itinuturing niyang "sun" ng kanilang pamilya.

Sinimulan ni Rachel ang kaniyang post sa Facebook sa pagtatanong na; “What happens when the brightest star in a galaxy dies? My Dad was our sun and we were planets, orbiting around him, basking in his warmth and light.”

Ayon sa mag-aawit, lagi silang sumasamang magkakapatid sa kanilang ama kahit saan ito magpunta, maging sa mga show, rehearsal, at basketball games.

At kahit malalaki na sila at may kaniya-kaniya nang pamilya, nananabik pa rin silang makasama ang kanilang ama.

“I hung on to his every word about politics, financial investments or the latest joke he planned on including in his next concert with the Hitmakers,” saad ni Rachel. “He loved to make people laugh as much as he loved to sing and dance.”

Pagbahagi ni Rachel, hindi nagkaroon ng talent manager ang kaniyang ama. Ang long-term partner nito na si Alynna Velasquez umano ang namamahala sa "bookings" ni Hajji. Bihira rin umanong mag-post ang OPM icon sa social media at hindi rin nagbayad sa PR o marketing.

“He was a bonafide star and his success was purely because [of] talent, hard work and charisma. He was always so entertaining on and off stage and made everyone around him feel special,” ani Rachel.

Ayon kay Rachel, hiniling ng kaniyang ama sa pamilya na gawing pribado ang paglaban niya sa kaniyang sakit na colon cancer, at "fully prepared" din umano ang kaniyang ama sa paggaling at pagbalik sa pagtatanghal.

Bago umano pumunta sa ospital ang ama upang sumailalim sa operasyon, sumalang pa raw si Hajji sa dalawang events. Dahil kahit anong nararamdaman, sinabi ni Rachel na walang ipina-cancel na show ang kaniyang ama.

“For Dad, every show is a blessing and performing for you all is our highest calling as singers,” saad ni Rachel.

Hanggang sa dumating ang araw na kaniyang kinatatakutan.

“[Two] months of hospital stays and spending time with him at his home and I was still not prepared as I helplessly watched him breathe his final breath,” anang mang-aawit.

“What happens to those a star of this magnitude leaves behind? I don’t have answers for that yet as I struggle to grasp living in a universe without our Daddwaps,” patuloy niya.

Umaasa siyang magagawa niyang proud ang kaniyang ama at maisapamuhay ang gawain nito.

"I intend to make him proud in everything I do, to live by his code of honor and goodness, to perform for you all with everything I’ve got and leave it all on the stage every single time,” ani Rachel. “I will now just be singing and dancing with Dad in my dreams…”

Pumanaw si Hajji noong Martes sa edad na 70, matapos ang ilang buwan na pagkikipaglaban sa sakit na colon cancer.

Dating miyembro si Hajji ng Circus Band at nanalo sa Metro Manila Popular Music Festival sa awiting niyang "Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika."

Kabilang pa sa kaniyang hit songs ang "Panakip-butas," "Tag-Araw, Tag-Ulan," at marami pang iba. — mula sa ulat ni Nika Roque/FRJ, GMA Integrated News