Unexpected Death of Rico Yan at 27

(March 14, 1975 – March 29, 2002) was a Filipino matinee idol, model and actor. He was under an exclusive contract in the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Network. Yan was a member of ABS-CBN’s circle of homegrown talents named Star Magic. He graduated from De La Salle University-Manila, with a degree in Business Management. He was a Youth Spokesman for the Department of Education before he died, touring the Philippines for free to promote education among youths. He was an image model and entrepreneur as well. Rico also established “Pinoy ‘Yan!” a non-profit organization that aims to make young people stay in school and value education.

He died of cardiac arrest due to acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis while asleep at the age of 27, the day after shooting a television commercial for Talk n’ Text at the Dos Palmas Resort in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. An estimated 10,000 people attended his funeral rites which was televised live on ABS-CBN.

The night before he died, Rico sang “Got to Believe” and “Falling For You”; both songs were featured in his last movie, Got 2 Believe. He even invited GMA Network‘s Senior reporter Arnold Clavio to join in the fun. Part of the proceeds from the ticket sales of his last movie Got 2 Believe and the video sales of the documentary Forever Young: Remembering Rico packaged with Dahil Mahal Na Mahal Kita went to the Rico Yan Youth Foundation.

His first and last films were with fellow actress Claudine Barretto, who was his girlfriend at the time of his passing. He was also a loveteam partner of Judy Ann Santos in the weekly youth-oriented show Gimik and the movie Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay.