On June 1st, two decades passed since the death of the iconic singer Rocío Jurado due to pancreatic cancer. On this significant 20th anniversary, her youngest daughter, Gloria Camila Ortega, has paid tribute to her mother with an intimate and heartbreaking letter, published by Semana magazine, in which she recalls her difficult childhood and the artist's indelible legacy.

In the writing, Gloria Camila confesses the profound impact her mother's loss had at such a young age. "There are days when I am still that 10-year-old girl who didn't understand why life could be so hard. Losing you so soon forced me to grow up before my time," she expresses with pain, detailing how the absence compelled her to mature prematurely.

The young woman describes Rocío Jurado as her "fundamental pillar" and "eternal guide," admitting to having gone through moments of "absolute perdition" over the years. Despite the difficulties, she states she has always felt driven by the "strength inherited from the artist," asserting: "I have cried, I have fought, I have gotten lost many times... but I never let the ship sink."

The letter also reflects gratitude for the family that Rocío Jurado gave them. Gloria Camila proudly claims the family's unity as "the true engine of her life" and assures that they keep the singer's memory alive: "Thank you for the beautiful family you gave us. A family that adores you, that doesn't forget you, that keeps you present in every conversation."

Gloria Camila highlights her mother's "protective instinct" and thanks the association ‘Rocio Jurado la más grande’ for its efforts to keep the memory of the singer from Chipiona alive. "You taught me, without knowing it, what constancy is. What it is to care for your own, to protect the chicks in the nest... Chipiona would not be Chipiona without you on every corner," she recounts with admiration.

One of the most emotional moments is the dedication to her niece, Rocío Flores, with whom she shares "the same childhood and the same emptiness." "Thanks to you, Rocío—my niece—, because you are the closest thing I have to those childhood memories with you. Because we grew up sharing the same pain, the same absence," she writes.

Finally, Gloria Camila makes a call for family unity and pays tribute to her father, José Ortega Cano, for his strength in fulfilling both parental roles after the singer's death: "We have to stay united... Dad… thank you. Thank you for being strong when everything broke. For being mother and father at the same time," she expresses.

The letter concludes with a firm message underscoring Rocío Jurado's lasting influence: "Mom, 20 years later… you are still everything. You are still light. You are still guidance."