Inihayag sa “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” nitong Biyernes, na pumanaw ang dating T.G.I.S. star na si Red Sternberg dahil sa heart attack, batay sa impormasyon mula kay Sandy, na asawa ng namayapang dating aktor.

"Pumanaw po si Red noong May 27 sa Amerika kung saan na siya nanirahan mula pa noong 2007. Tatlong araw lang ito bago ang kaniyang kaarawan. He is survived by his wife Sandy at tatlo nilang anak. Kinumpirma sa amin ni Sandy na heart attack ang cause of death ni Red. Natagpuan niya si Red na nakahandusay sa sahig noong tumawag siya ng 911," sabi ni Tito Boy.

Ipinaalam ni Sandy sa pamamagitan ng Facebook post ang pagpanaw ni Red sa mismong araw ng sana'y ika-51 kaarawan ng dating aktor noong Mayo 30. 

Sa episode ng program nitong Biyernes, naging panauhin ang "T.G.I.S." co-stars ni Red na sina Angelu de Leon, Bobby Andrews, at Michael Flores, at sinariwa nila ang mga magagandang alaala nila tungkol kay Red.

Binasa rin ni Tito Boy ang isang liham mula kay Sandy na mensahe nito sa fans ni Red at sa T.G.I.S. barkada.

"To all the Red Sternberg fans and followers of 'T.G.I,S.' the outpouring of pictures and videos you shared were so touching. I feel your heartache and pain so much. It hurts. It's like a wound that will never ever heal, the deep pounding of your heart that skips a beat, and the reality we all can't accept is inescapable. 

Red and I got married 20 years ago. I still remember him getting off the computer and saying, ‘Eto na, sinisigaw ko na sa buong mundo na kasal na tayo.’ He was a simple guy. Our wedding bands were picked out in Ongpin.

As a husband, Red was a planner. He was always ahead before I could even think it. He had a solution for everything by looking up in the ceiling as if the answers were all there.

He was a computer geek. Everything had a spreadsheet. Red was a loving daddy to the girls and dada to our son. Our son being so young, he will only remember him through all of your posts. So thank you for keeping his memory alive. 

To his 'T.G.I.S.' barkada, he's had so many stories he shared with me. Mostly bloopers na parang yesterday lang talaga happened. Thank you for letting him be a part of your barkada. Someday, I hope you can tell the kids more stories." 

Pag-alala kay Red

Emosyonal sina Angelu, Bobby at Mike nang ibahagi ang reaksyon nila nang mabalitaan ang tungkol sa nangyari kay Red.

Kuwento ni Michael, tinawagan siya ni Direk Mark Reyes noong araw ng kaarawan ni Red upang ipakumpirma ang post ni Sandy sa Facebook.

“So tinawagan ko si Sandy, sabi ko, noong nakita ko pa lang hitsura ni Sandy, naka-video call kami, ‘yon kinonfirm (confirm) na niya. Tapos sinama na namin sa conversation si Direk Mark. So doon na in-explain ni Sandy ‘yung nangyari na May 27 pa lang noong inatake nga raw si Red. Pero in-announce niya sa social media, May 30, birthday pa niya. So ‘yun ‘yung, wala, sobrang na-shock talaga kami,” ani Michael.

Si Bobby naman, nakausap pa umano si Red noong Mayo 22.

“That's why, it was so hard to accept because I was just talking to the guy a week before. So, how could this happen? Ang hirap. At that age, you know, he was so, you know, he was working out. He was losing weight. He was very excited to come home,” sabi ni Bobby.

Ibinahagi rin ni Angelu ang huling pag-uusap nila ni Red na excited umano ang dating aktor tungkol sa bunso nito.

“Last time I talked to him, he was so excited about his bunso, kasi only boy niya eh. At saka ‘yun ‘yung time na ini-enjoy niya 'yung fatherhood. Talagang, and this is a different side of Red. Kung paano namin naramdaman 'yung paano siya maging isang kaibigan. Sina Sandy are very fortunate to been able to be given the time with Red na tulad ng sinabi niya, planado lahat, may solusyon sa lahat,” ayon kay Angelu.

“And ‘yun 'yung isa sa pinakamasakit eh. You're just turning 51," ayon sa aktres, na sinabing nagbabalak pa sana sila ng get together.

Sa isang panayam noon ng programang Tunay Na Buhay, ikinuwento ni Red kung papaano niya nakilala si Sandy, at ang hirap ng naging buhay nila noon sa Amerika kung saan nagpapalipat-lipat sila ng tirahan dahil sa kaniyang trabaho. Panoorin ang video.

-- FRJ, GMA Integrated News