'Mama Coco,' the grandmother who inspired the Disney character, dies at 109

María Salud Ramírez Caballero, the Mexican grandmother who inspired the character of "Mama Coco" in the famous Disney Pixar movie "Coco", died at the age of 109 in her hometown of Santa Fe de la Laguna, in Michoacán, Mexico, the Secretary of Tourism of Michoacán, Roberto Monroy, said on Tuesday.

"I deeply regret the passing of Doña María Salud Ramírez Caballero, ‘Mamá Coco’, a tireless woman and example of life, who was an inspiration for this beloved character that went around the world," said Monroy.

Lamento profundamente el fallecimiento de Doña María Salud Ramírez Caballero, “Mamá Coco”, mujer incansable y ejemplo de vida, quien fuera inspiración para este amado personaje que dio la vuelta al mundo. Mis oraciones para su descanso y para que su familia encuentre resignación

— ROBERTO MONROY G (@robertomonroy1) October 16, 2022

The woman was born in 1913 and dedicated most of her life to pottery. However, in 2017 her life took a turn after her image served as inspiration for one of the main characters in Disney’s famous film, according to Clarín Internacional. 

Maria Salud had three children and many grandchildren, who stated in previous interviews that their grandmother was very loving but also had a very strong character.

In the feature film "Coco," which is based on the traditions of the Day of the Dead in Mexico, the old woman was the inspiration for the great-grandmother of Miguel, a boy who dreams of becoming a musician and who accidentally travels to the world of the dead.

In the film, "Mama Coco" was a lovely old lady who barely spoke words, but who was key to healing the pains that dragged the Mexican family down for generations.  

Despite Maria Salud's similar features to 'Mama Coco', Pixar never officially acknowledged that the inspiration for the character was born from the old woman. However, during the filming process, the production company assured that the team toured Mexico and met with several families to create the character, including Maria Salud's family, reported EFE.

In addition, several testimonies from people in her community indicate that the elderly woman was portrayed in various parts of her village by members of the production, the news agency continues.

This Monday, the wake of María Salud was held only with her relatives, who came to say their last goodbye.