Unlike other dads who are not so fond of showing off their affection towards their loved ones, Yassi Pressman’s beloved Popshie Ronnie had been so enthusiastic to do so, as what we had witnessed in the her posts on Instagram, as well as in their guestings together in Magandang Buhay in the previous years.
It was in 2016 when they first appeared on the morning talk show together, wherein she reminisced how it was growing up with him, who solely raised her and her younger sister Issa.
“Si Daddy kasi kahit 87 [years old] siya, para ko siyang best friend, parang barkada as in. Simula sa first crush, favorite color, favorite food, kung anong nangyayari sa school, gano'n 'yong mga [kwentuhan],” she gleefully related.
Then she disclosed that he also tirelessly accompanied her every time she invited him to go with her in her gigs and other shindigs – may it be at work, at a pool club, or even in her mall shows. He might be already in his 80s, yet he was still able to drive for them and be a hands-on father to them.
Not being able to celebrate her 18th birthday as lavish as what other girls usually have, Magandang Buhay threw a simple yet heartwarming debut fete for the FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano star. Unbeknownst to Yassi, they invited Popshie Ronnie to be her ‘first dance’, which obviously startled her and made her cry.
Looking dapper in a suit and tie and a fedora hat, he handed her a huge purple paper rose and went on to dance with her. They delighted and warmed our hearts as they exhibited their ballroom dance moves, then hummed a random tune while Yassi sang along to Tyler Collins’ “Thanks To You”.
Aside from that, the awesome father-and-daughter tandem also demonstrated their “happy dance”, as a short clip of Popshie Ronnie bopping while wearing the shorts and long-sleeved shirt Yassi gave him was shown. Indeed, dancing genes really run in their blood!
Their last appearance on Magandang Buhay together was in 2018, wherein they tugged our hearts and left us all teary-eyed with their exchange of poignant messages.
“I’m just gonna promise that I will always take care of you, because you’re my Papito, you’re my ‘macho', and you just promise to be strong always,” the 25-year-old actress tearfully uttered as she wasn’t able to hold back her emotions.
Popshie Ronnie responded to it by saying “I will. That’s to show my appreciation for your presence. I will, I will, I will.”
However, the well-loved, groovy dad sadly passed away last February 6. He might be already gone, but he would certainly remain irreplaceable in her heart and would be the eternal love of her life.