Here’s how the Eigenmann family keeps Mark Gil’s memories alive: ‘Dad’s greatest gift to us: each other’

Celebrity siblings Andi, Max, and Stevie Eigenmann, along with Mark Gil’s wife Maricar Jacinto, took to social media today, September 1, to honor the late actor on his 11th death anniversary.

On their personal Instagram accounts, Mark’s family celebrated his memory through heartfelt words and throwback photos, keeping alive the legacy of their beloved patriarch.

“Eleven years. ❤️‍🩹 Forever grateful for my siblings. 🥹 We love and miss you every single day. Cheers to you up there, Daddy!🍻,” actress Max Eigenmann wrote in a post.

Max shared photos of her father alongside her and her other siblings. She also posted throwback photos of her father on her Instagram stories with captions:

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“One of the greatest experiences of my life was being loved so dearly by you,” she wrote.

“Still the most handsome man in my eyes,” she continued.

She also highlighted that her siblings are some of Mark’s greatest gifts to her. “The best part about Dad are these sh*th**ds. (black and LOL emojis) ILYSM (I love you so much) @stevieeigengirl @littlechefspastries @gabbyeigenmann @andieigengirl @matsershido

For Andi Eigenmann, grief continues to be a quiet but constant presence in her life.

“It’s been 11 years since our dad passed. The longer it’s been, the more ’comfortable‘ I’ve become in carrying that, but that doesn’t mean it’s gotten any better. In fact, sometimes it feels even heavier. Because the longer my life goes on, the more the moments we share seem to shrink into tiny fragments of my whole life,” Andi admitted.

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Andi shared how she wished her father could have been with her through milestones, especially wishing that he were still around to see his grandchildren.

“And that’s what breaks me. As I keep living, as I grow older, the moments I once had with him don’t grow with me. They stay the same. Even more so now that I wish he could’ve seen me through all my life’s milestones, all the little victories and struggles I know he would’ve been proud of me for, and most of all, his grandkids, that I know he would be so proud of,” she added.

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“Maybe that’s what makes memories so powerful. Even if they don’t grow, they don’t fade either. Those few special moments are still my most precious treasures. Grief has a way of teaching us how much love can stay alive, even when someone is gone,” she reflected.

Their youngest sibling, Stevie, also remembered their father with moving words: “another year, same silence where you should be. time didn’t take you further – it just taught me how to hold you differently.”

Stevie also recalled a memory with her dad dancing to Bob Carlisle’s “Butterfly Kisses”.

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“u wanted to sing this on my wedding day. well, guess what, im never getting married so u don’t have to feel bad for missing that. ha ha ha! lol. just for the lolzz,” she quipped.

She went on to describe their “crazy, beautiful, blended family” as her father’s greatest gift.

“last na just cos ang gwaps! like, no wonder we’re 6 siblings?!?! lol, jokes aside we wouldn’t be who we are AND LOVE THE WAY WE LOVE. THAT EIGENMANN WAY OF LOVE without our crazy, beautiful, blended family. Four moms. Six siblings. My best people and Dad’s greatest gift to us: each other,” she wrote.

“Can you imagine if we grew up in bitterness? I could never. Because thanks to dad, we were raised in love so deep that the idea of not having enough to give feels like a foreign language. He showed us — through all of us, that love isn’t divided, it can only multiply. and maybe that is our biggest strength and our biggest weakness, as it was our father’s,” she added.

READ: Here’s how Andi Eigenmann and her sisters Max and Stevie spent their bonding time in Siargao

Meanwhile, Maricar Jacinto, Mark’s wife, expressed her enduring love in a heartwarming tribute, writing: “Though eleven years have passed, your spirit lives on in me. Love is immortality, and the love we shared is a part of me now, forever.♥️♥️♥️.”

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She also wrote the reason why she still remains single: “I’ve always been asked why I haven’t fallen in love again. My answer: Your greatest love can never be replaced (red heart emoji)”

Mark Gil, born Raphael John Gil Eigenmann, was the son of veteran actors Eddie Mesa and Rosemarie Gil, and the brother of Michael de Mesa and the late Cherie Gil. He had six children: Gabby and Ira Eigenmann with Irene Celebre; Sid Lucero and Maxine with Bing Pimentel; Andi with Jaclyn Jose; and Stevie with Maricar.

Known for his versatility and powerful screen presence, Mark Gil starred in acclaimed films such as Batch ’81, The Elsa Santos Castillo Story: The Chop-Chop Lady, Palipat-lipat, Papalit-palit, Pasan ko ang Daigdig, Magnifico, Rotonda, and Amok, among others.