While masses of people lined up for blocks to view Selena and Emilio’s caskets during their public viewing. I’m sad to report that such was not the case for the internationally loved and sometimes adored radio/television host, singer, bandleader we knew as (Juan José) “Johnny” Canales.
This was due to a tropical storm so severe that the city of Corpus Christi elevated its emergency level up to level 3. Intense thunderstorms kept people from fans from walking in ankle high water from the parking lot to lining outside the American Bank Center’s Selena Auditorium, which is a stone’s throw from the Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, flooding conditions created dreadful dangerous driving conditions for fans to even drive to the venue. These are just a few reasons why television viewers around the country saw a mere handful of people.
The same applied to the ‘Private Funeral Viewing.” That night, after assisting Emmy-winning Spectrum TV reporter José Arredondo with photographs and information for a news piece on Johnn, I headed to the Sparkling City by the Sea.
I was halfway there when Adrian Arredondo, co-producer of “You Got It” – a Netflix documentary on 81-year-old Johnny Canales – called to tell me the burial had been cancelled and would be rescheduled.
The eventual burial was such a last-minute thing that Johnny’s widow Nora called me at 8:14 a.m. on Wednesday to tell me it would be held at 11 a.m. There was no way to make it in time, nor for others to make it because they would have to request a day off. Hence, the famous television host, who was seen by millions of fans via his television program, which was syndicated to 900 stations in 60 countries was buried by Nora, their daughters, Seleste and Miroslava, plus a handful of persons.
“This was God’s will,” said Nora, who was inundated by thousands of fans who expressed their love and grief to her via emails, messenger and other social media outlets.
“I’m just grateful that we were able to care for him at home and the Johnny knew everyone was praying for him in what an outpouring of love.”
In closing, La Prensa Texas’ staff and readers also add their most heartfelt condolences.
