Ray Reyes has died at age 51. The former Menudo member's brother, Raul Reyes, confirmed his death with a Facebook post on April 30. According to Telemundo, Ray's cause of death was a heart attack.
"Dear Friends, Family and FANS, With enormous pain in my soul I inform you that my beloved Brother Ray Reyes passed away," Raul wrote in Spanish alongside more than 20 photos of and with his brother. "I beg you to give us the space to digest all this situation and please pray for our family, especially my mother who is delicate."
"I also ask you to never forget his legacy," he added. "Now more than ever, we need to be united. Never stop expressing your love and affection for your fellow human beings."
Ray was born in New York City and raised in Puerto Rico. In 1983, he joined Menudo, one of the biggest Latin boy bands in history, at its height of success. Ray's time in Menudo, which ended two years after it began, overlapped with that of Ricky Martin and Draco Rosa.
He reunited with band members several times after his exit, first in 1998, to celebrate Menudo's 15th anniversary, and again in 2005, 2016 and 2019.
Johnny Lozada, Ray's former bandmate, paid tribute to him on Instagram by sharing a video of Ray performing "Chiquitita.".
"How difficult it is to reach an age where your brothers of life begin journeys to places where we are unable to accompany them," Johnny captioned the clip. "But as the song says, the stars shine for you up there. That is how I will remember you."
Ray will be laid to rest Tuesday, May 4, in Puerto Rico.
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