While we all have to die someday, the sudden passing of a person who still had lots of life to live is still shocking.
It’s also more tragic when they’re away from home, as in the case of Ms Cris Albert.
The 52-year-old chief executive officer (CEO) of FILA Philippines sadly passed away in a Singapore hotel.
Source: Cris Albert on Facebook
The police are investigating the case as an unnatural death.
The sad news was confirmed by FILA Philippines in a Facebook post on Monday (25 Apr), via a short message from her family.
They said the untimely passing of Ms Maricris Abad Santos Albert – known as “Cris” for short – occurred last Saturday (23 Apr).
Source: Fila Philippines on Facebook
Expressing “profound sadness”, they appealed for privacy as they grieved.
The police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were called to a location at 80 Collyer Quay at 1.05am last Saturday, reported The Straits Times (ST).
The address is that of The Fullerton Bay Hotel, which overlooks Marina Bay.
Source: Google Maps
Ms Albert was reportedly found lying motionless at the scene. She was pronounced dead by a paramedic.
The police told ST that they’ve classified the case as an unnatural death, and it’s under investigation.
Ms Albert was reportedly in town to attend a function at the hotel on Friday evening.
Her final Instagram post was on Friday (22 Apr) night, documenting her visit to the Singapore Flyer with friends.
Besides being CEO and president of FILA Philippines, Ms Albert also holds the same positions in a company called iSport Life.
It’s the sole distributor and licensee of FILA products in the Philippines, according to her biography on the website of FILA Philippines.
She’s no stranger to the fashion industry as her mother was a former supermodel and show choreographer, so she would watch her shows from as young as 8 years old.
After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, she joined FILA as a marketing manager in 1992 and worked her way up to president in 2007.
Source: Cris Albert on Facebook
Under her leadership, iSport Life has seen an average growth of 22.6% in the last five years, ranking third among FILA’s licensees in the international market for overall growth.
She also led FILA Philippines to win the Most Outstanding Sports Retail Company award in 2013.
According to the Inquirer, Ms Albert was also a family woman, having been married to her husband Butch – the chairman of FILA Philippines – for 28 years.
The couple have two children, Carlo and Isabella.
Source: @mscrisalbert on Instagram
Ms Albert and her husband were so close that they renewed their vows in 2015, their 21st wedding anniversary.
In a heartfelt Facebook post, business partner Antonio Aguirre Jr. paid tribute to Ms Albert as a truthful friend and mentor.
Describing her as a “real beautiful person inside and out”, he said she’d touched and changed countless lives, and had a vibrant smile and laughter.
That’s why he was heartbroken and deeply saddened by her passing, adding that they were planning to meet and hang out this week.
Alas, the meeting will never come to fruition.
From the interest and discussion over Ms Albert in the Internet, it’s clear she was beloved not just by those who knew her but also by many Filipinos.
So her sudden passing is definitely agonising, as she was gone too soon.
However, perhaps we can also celebrate her life achievements and the many people she inspired.
MS News sends our deepest condolences to Ms Albert’s friends and family, and hopes they will find closure regarding the circumstances of her death.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from FILA Phillippines on Facebook and The Fullerton Hotel Singapore on Facebook.
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