Maria Salud Ramirez Caballero, the elderly person on whom the studio based its character in the movie Coco, died in Michoacan (Mexico) at the age of 109 on Sunday.

Caballero’s death was announced on Twitter by Roberto Monroy, Secretary of Tourism for the Mexican state of Michoacan, on October 16.

The 2017 release of Coco, an animated movie by Disney Pixar, was a huge hit. The characters, especially the grandmother who gave the movie its title, Mama Coco, won over viewers’ hearts.

The contribution Caballero made to the movie has never received official recognition. However, Pixar did clarify that while researching the movie, it spoke with many local families, including Maria Salud Ramirez Caballero. 

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Coco film follows Miguel (Anthony Gonzales), an aspiring musician who is transported to the Land of the Dead in the hopes of finding his great-great-great grandfather, singer Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal), to confront his family’s ban on music. The voice cast also included Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renee Victor, and Edward James Olmos.

It was a huge success, grossing  $807 million worldwide.

Who was Maria Salud Ramirez Caballero?

Maria Salud Ramirez Caballero, a Mexican centenarian, was born on September 16,1913, in Santa Fe de la Laguna, Mexico. She was a potter who also produced other items out of clay and sold them to the locals with the help of his husband.

She was the mother of three children, numerous grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Once, Paty, one of her granddaughters, asserted that the family had stopped seeking recognition or money, despite the fact that the way her life had changed since the film’s release. 

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The woman showed traits of dementia and other neurological disorders as she had forgotten about her young days. She died of natural causes.