Eva Mendes and her family are mourning the death of her older brother Carlos Mendez, who succumbed to cancer on April 17. He was 53.
The Hitch actress, who is expecting her second child with Ryan Gosling, celebrated her late brother’s life along with the rest of her family at the Church of the Recessional in Glendale, California, on Tuesday, April 26, according to her family’s social media posts.
Carlos had been diagnosed with throat cancer almost two years ago.
In a touching Instagram post shared by Eva’s younger brother Carlo, Carlos is remembered as “the funny charming genius comedian creative hot tempered crazy calm person that he was.”
“I still can’t believe this happened,” Carlo added in his post. “I’m crying as I write this and I have no idea how to cope with him being gone. … My life will never be the same without him.”
On April 1, Eva shared a sweet Instagram photo of herself with Carlos from the Hollywood Stands Up to Cancer event last January. Mendes introduced Katie Couric at the event and, during her speech, dedicated the evening to her brother, who had accompanied her.
“Tonight I’m here with my family and my brother Carlos, who had [cancer] treatment today,” the actress told the audience.
Carlos leaves behind his siblings, parents Juan and Eva, and his wife and their children, Matthew, 13, and Mia, 5.
