A blast from the past. Rihanna had the most adorable reaction when she ran into one of her favorite school teachers on Monday, July 1.
The 31-year-old “Diamonds” songstress, who grew up in Barbados, was attending the Cricket World Cup in London on Monday when she crossed paths with her former gym teacher, Roddy Estwick. A video of the pair’s interaction showed RiRi growing emotional over the sight of Estwick, whom she referred to as a “father figure,” as she teared up while hugging him. (Rihanna was estranged from her father, Ronald Fenty, until they repaired their relationship in 2011. However, the duo are currently going against each other in a legal battle over the singer using the name “Fenty” for her namesake brands.)
“This is my teacher from school! He was a mentor and father figure to me. I haven’t seen him in years,” the businesswoman captioned the clip, which was shared by the Jamaica Observer. Estwick smiled as he embraced the singer in the hug.
Later that day, the “Umbrella” singer posted about her encounter with Estwick at the European event to her Instagram Stories. “My mentor, my champ, my MVP, my school teacher, my first ‘JayBrown,’” she captioned the picture, which showed her hugging the educator. “#MrEastwick! You made my day.”
Estwick attended the Cricket World Cup because he is an assistant coach for the West Indies team. While the West Indies lost to Sri Lanka, Rihanna still rejoiced over bumping into Estwick.
“I love this man,” the Fenty Beauty mogul said of Estwick to Barbados Today on Monday. “I came here to see the match and was cheering West Indies to a victory. They played great but we just didn’t make it. But I also wanted to see Mr. Estwick.”
Rihanna continued to explain why she still thinks highly of Estwick after all these years, adding: “He made a lasting impact on my life and he really offered great advice to me and many others when we were at school at Combermere. I just wanted to let everyone know what he meant to me in my development and what he did for us back at school in Barbados.”
Rihanna, born Robyn Rihanna Fenty, has come a long way since her schoolgirl days. In June, Forbes listed the “Love on the Brain” artist as the wealthiest female musician in the world. She has accumulated several chart-toppers over her long music career, but she has also cultivated a successful business empire with Fenty Beauty and lingerie line Savage Fenty.
The nine-time Grammy winner also teamed up with LVMH in May to launch a luxury fashion clothing collection.
“Designing a line like this with LVMH is an incredibly special moment for us,” she said in a statement. “[LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault] has given me a unique opportunity to develop a fashion house in the luxury sector, with no artistic limits. I couldn’t imagine a better partner both creatively and business-wise, and I’m ready for the world to see what we have built together.”
Scroll down to see pictures of Rihanna having fun at the Cricket World Cup!