NABALOT ng lungkot at pagluluksa ang buong industriya nang bawian ng buhay sanhi ng brain cancer ang La Primera Contravida na si Evangeline Rose Eigenmann, a.k.a. Cherie Gil, nitong Biyernes ng hapon sa edad na 59.

Si Annabelle Rama ang unang nag-post ng malungkot na balita sa kanyang socmed accounts na kinumpirma naman ng pamangkin ng aktres na si Sid Lucero.

Isa-isang nagbigay-pugay kay Cherie ang malalapit na kaibigan at mga nakatrabaho sa showbiz, kabilang na ang megastar na si Sharon Cuneta.

Nadalaw at nakasama pa ni Sharon si Cherie ilang oras bago ito pumanaw sa Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center sa New York City.

Matatandaan na naging matalik na magkaibigan ang dalawa matapos magkasama (bilang magkaribal na Dorina Pineda at Lavinia Arguelles) sa Viva classic film na Bituing Walang Ningning noong 1985.

Sa pelikulang iyon tumatak ang ngayo’y iconic one-liner ni Cherie na “you’re nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat.”

Mahaba at puno ng emosyon ang mensahe ng Megastar sa kanyang Instagram account para kay “Cheech”: “I flew to New York early yesterday with a heavy heart, still forcing it to hang on to that sliver of hope of God performing a miracle & allowing you to pull through this. I am eternally grateful to Him for giving us the few hours we spent together yesterday… the love & words yet again exchanged in person… the knowledge that the friendship forged when we were very young was stronger & would only keep getting so… You told me about your tree to heaven outside of your apartment window which I didn’t get to see. We said “I love you” & I said I’d see you again today… & you raised both arms and gave me the thumbs up with both hands. Then barely eleven hours after I left you, I was awakened by his call saying you had passed… I leave New York now with a much heavier heart than ever before… because now I am leaving YOU with the knowledge that I will NEVER see you again… I cannot process it. It seems so unfair. It will never be the same without you.I will never be the same without you. I told you that you had to fight, please, because you couldn’t leave me & that you were my partner, that there is no one like you… You said yes. But God took you home, took all your pain away. I will never get to feed you ice chips again. Or share most everything else with you. Your kids are strong & love you so much. Mike & I won’t have to keep our talks about you a secret anymore like we did while taping our show. But I don’t know how we would want to. I thank God I was with your Dad & Mom & R & all your kids to ‘see you off’ — but I am not happy. My heart is in pieces again & now I dunno how to put it back together anymore — because among the many loved ones I have lost these past few years, you were & always will be one of my most loved… a most important part of my life & my history. Of my heart. I love you so very much. It is the end of an era now that you’ve left us… What will I do without you now, Love? My true screen partner, a true friend, ninang of Simone… I miss you so terribly & know it will only get worse. Be at peace in God’s loving arms, my Cheech… I’ll see you again someday. I will love you with all my heart, forever. Thank you for everything..”

Gaya ni Sharon, nakiramay din sina Sen. Bong Revilla, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Jackie Lou Blanco, Direk Joey Reyes, former FDCP Chair Liza Diño, Gabbi Garcia, Dennis Trillo, atbp.

Unang sumikat si Cherie sa Regal movie na Problem Child kasama ang inang si Rosemarie Gil at si Lloyd Samartino noong 1980.

Ginawa rin niya ang City After Dark, Salawahan, Ito Ba Ang Ating Mga Anak, Oro, Plata, Mata at marami pang iba.

Isa naman sa mga naging huling proyekto niya ang seryeng Legal Wives ng GMA Network bago nag-alsa-balutan at nanirahan sa New York para sa tinawag niyang “rebirth.”

Kabilang sa mga naulila ni Cherie ang mga anak na sina Bianca, Raphael at Jay, kapatid na si Michael de Mesa at amang si Eddie Mesa.