Claudine and Marjorie Barretto mourn passing of eldest brother Mito
Mito Barretto, 51, the eldest of the Barretto siblings, has passed away, his sisters, Marjorie and Claudine announced on Instagram on Sept. 23.
Claudine, sixth of the Barretto brood, posted a reel of photos showing her with Mito. “I can’t believe you left us this soon. My [broken heart emoji] and soul [are] broken. Rest in paradise where there is no pain. I [love you] always [and] forever will."
"When we reconciled, [you] swallowed [your] pride [and] said you’re sorry. I didn’t know that was already goodbye. I thank God [and] Mark for fixing us before leaving [because] I might’ve never [forgiven] myself if we weren’t ok."
Claudine further shared a series of posts where she narrated a fight she had with Mito in early June. She said hurtful words were exchanged and it reached a point where Claudine wrote a demand letter. A day before she filed it, however, Mito's son Mark intervened and brokered peace between the siblings.
“All my life, if there was that one person [whose] approval I so wanted, [it] was [Mito’s]…for the next 3 weeks, he would text me, ‘Dine, I’m so sorry again, and I’m proud of you.'"
Marjorie, the fifth of the Barretto siblings, shared her own heartbreak on Instagram, as well, sharing that Mito's passing happened "so suddenly."
"So full of life. No warning, we are not prepared for this. I can’t imagine life without you—you were always present for every important occasion: every birthday, holiday, graduation, premiere night…always so proud of me and my children.
“You and Connie (Mito's wife) always opened your home…for us every Sunday or any day, a place filled with love, Connie’s cooking, laughter, and family. I will never have regrets, because I had the best memories with you and Connie, your children, and your grandchildren. You lived life and lived it to the fullest, and you captured it all through the best photos, leaving us with moments to treasure forever.”
Marjorie added that when their father Miguel passed away in 2019, Mito stepped up and became a rock for the family.
“You loved my children so much and they are so heartbroken. The pain of losing you is unbearable, Mito. I didn’t know a life without you…and now I must learn to.”
Marjorie ended her post by asking her followers to say a prayer for her brother.
Also sharing their grief on Instagram were two of Marjorie’s children: Dani, her daughter with Kier Legaspi, and Leon, her son with Dennis Padilla.
“Thank you for being our rock after Pikey passed,” wrote Dani, referring to her grandfather Miguel, whom the Barretto grandkids nicknamed Pikey. “You were always the first to arrive, the last to go home, and no matter what it was, you showed up for us, always.”
Dani also recalled the trip to New York she took with her uncle.
“We had hotdogs outside the MET. [You] offered to take all my photos without hesitation, nagpahula pa tayo[.] We had beers at a random Irish pub, and we sat on the steps of Times Square while you kept saying how happy you were that you joined us.
“Thank you for being the best Tito to us, and the best Kuya to Mom. Thank you for loving her, protecting her, and defending her the way only you could. Mom loves you so deeply, and so do we.”
In his Instagram story, Dani’s brother Leon shared a photo of him with his uncle, and captioned the story with praying hands and dove emojis. In another post, Leon shared how while he grew up in a female-dominated household, he had brothers, his grandfather, and uncle Mito to look up to.
"He was the most family-oriented person I’ve ever known. The way he prioritized spending time with family was unmatched. The way he loved his grandchildren as if they were his own was unmatched. The way he supported all of his nephews and nieces was unmatched."
Leon ended his post with a vow: "I promise to be there for your grandchildren, to help take care of tita Connie, and to support your two amazing sons who have also helped raise me."
The Barretto siblings also include Gretchen, Gia, Mitch, and Jay-Jay.
Mito is survived by his wife Connie, their children Mark and John, and their grandchildren.
