There will be no funeral service held for Abraham Quintanilla, the father of music icon Selena Quintanilla, his son announced on social media.
In a two-part video posted to Instagram, more than 20 minutes long, Quintanilla’s son said his father died in his sleep on the morning of Dec. 13.
“He went like a lot of us would like to go,” A.B. Quintanilla III said in the video. “He passed away in his sleep, and I hope and pray that he didn’t suffer.”
In the video, Quintanilla’s son said that there will be no funeral for his father and he wanted to be cremated.
“Those were my dad’s wishes,” A.B. Quintanilla III said, “so we will respect those wishes.”
A.B. Quintanilla III said that the causes of his father’s death remain unknown, but promised to share as soon as they are made public.
“As soon as I know,” A.B. Quintanilla III said, “I’ll let you guys know, because you guys deserve to know.”
The video was posted on Christmas Eve, a week and a half after Abraham Quintanilla’s death, and A.B. Quintanilla III said he was recording it at 5 a.m.
“I haven’t been sleeping very well,” A.B. Quintanilla III said.
A.B. Quintanilla III said he wanted to dispel “ugly things” said about his father by ”a small percentage of people."
“Talking about my father, you’re talking about a visionary. A man with a dream, who saw talent in his children, and was able to make our dreams come true through music,” A.B. Quintanilla III said. “He made Selena one of the most electrifying singers and talents that this world will ever know.”
Quintanilla was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, and gained recognition in 1956 for his group, the Dinos. He later became known as the father of Selena and the founder of Selena y Los Dinos.
Quintanilla was instrumental in launching Selena’s career, managing her early performances and helping build the family band that would take her to international fame.
After Selena’s death in 1995, he remained a fierce guardian of her legacy, overseeing her music, brand, and continued influence across generations.