The Cuban musician Osamu Menéndez broke the silence this Monday in his first public interview since the death of his son, DJ Mauro Menéndez, artistically known as Maahez.
Osamu issued a direct warning to the youth about electronic cigarettes: «Don't smoke that, gentlemen, seriously. Don't smoke that. I know that was what killed him».
The interview, granted to journalist Erwin Pérez for the program "La Trastienda", took place 10 days after Mauro's death, which occurred on the Caribbean island of Barbados between the night of July 16 and the early morning of July 17.
The vape is an electronic device that works by heating a liquid to create an aerosol that is then inhaled. It is very popular among young people.
Osamu believes that the use of the vape aggravated his son's illness and caused the pneumonia that ultimately took the life of the 32-year-old. This is a personal opinion and not an official medical conclusion from the authorities in Barbados.
Mauro traveled to Barbados on July 15 to fulfill a work commitment as a DJ, despite being ill. The day before the flight, he had sent a message to his mother, the actress Aylín Mujica, telling her he had gone to the doctor, that he had been diagnosed with pneumonia, that he had antibiotics to recover, and that he felt fine.
Osamu revealed that he did not know his son was in Miami before the trip to Barbados. He believes that Mauro deliberately hid this information to prevent him from stopping him from flying while sick.
On July 16, while playing on a beach in Barbados with his friends, the young man began to convulse.
Aylín Mujica shared a heartbreaking account of what happened with her son. Mauro suffered three heart attacks and was resuscitated seven times. Doctors found a clot in one lung and another in the heart. He was declared dead at 1:45 a.m. on July 17.
Osamu described the moment he arrived at the morgue in Barbados to say goodbye: "I told him why he was so irresponsible, why he left us, why he made us go through this ordeal, and that we loved him very much. I hugged him tightly and kissed his forehead. I believe that was my goodbye."
Despite the pain, the musician expressed admiration for his son's journey. "I am very proud. I believe he achieved his dream, even if he himself didn’t realize it. His dream was to perform in the most important clubs, at the biggest festivals, and that’s exactly what he was doing all the time."
Since 2014, Mauro has built a career as a producer and DJ, pioneering the Global Bass and Moombahton movement in the Latin scene, with collaborations alongside figures such as Diplo, DJ Snake, Tiësto, and Steve Aoki, and a nomination for the Latin Grammy in 2020.
Osamu confessed that he hasn't been able to play the guitar since the tragedy and spends his days recovering about 5,000 photographs and unreleased music from Mauro's computer so that other DJs can share it.
"I don't think I will be able to be the same person. I don't think I can be completely happy again, but I will try," Osamu said as he closed the interview, which he described as the first step towards reintegrating into public life.
His partner, Yory Gómez, is also going through the grief with him. Regarding the sad outcome, he expressed in a video: "There are no words to describe such a great, heart-wrenching pain."
Mauro's death is the second devastating blow for Osamu in less than four months. In March, Diana Díaz Olivera, the mother of his daughter Adri, passed away.
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