Veteran actor Joel Torre paid a moving tribute to his close friend and fellow artist Dwight Gaston, who recently passed away. In a deeply personal Facebook post, Torre reflected on more than five decades of friendship, creativity, and laughter shared between the two.

“Oh Dwight, the umbilical cord has been cut,” Torre began, signaling both farewell and an enduring connection that transcends time and mortality.

Bond forged in art and laughter

Torre and Gaston’s friendship began in their early years in theater — co-directing their first play together and collaborating through the Maskara Theater Years, The Los Curachas and the Yamuhat Festivals. Their creative partnership flourished not just on stage but also in film, with notable collaborations in Oro, Plata, Mata and Amigo.

Torre recalled those years as some of the most vibrant and fulfilling of his life.

“Those creative times and the laughter were at their best,” he wrote. “Even when you knew of your last few days, your incredible humor was still on full display.”

A friendship that endured life’s highs and lows

The post revealed how Gaston had been a source of strength for Torre during difficult times.

“At my lowest time, you said it best — ‘This too shall pass.’ How I wish I could say the same,” Torre wrote, echoing the wisdom and comfort his friend once offered him.

Despite the grief, Torre found solace in the laughter they shared until the end. He recalled his final visit to Gaston with bittersweet fondness:

“The last time I visited you, we laughed so hard I had to leave for you to rest. And as I cry, that laughter lingers, for I know the umbilical cord of our soul will always be there.”

Final curtain call

Closing his message, Torre offered a tender farewell — both poetic and poignant.

“Farewell to thee, my dearest friend. As in black comedy they say, ‘The bigger the laughter, the deeper the pain.’ Love gid ya! Your dearest friend, Joel.”

Torre’s tribute captured not only the loss of a dear friend but also the enduring spirit of a creative brotherhood that shaped much of Bacolod’s cultural and artistic landscape. In mourning Gaston, he also celebrated a life that inspired countless others — a reminder that even in the face of death, art and friendship leave marks that never fade.