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Mexican woman believed to have inspired Pixar’s iconic ‘Mamá Coco’ dies at 109

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ORLANDO, Fla – María Salud Ramírez Caballero, the Mexican woman who is said to have inspired fan-favorite character “Mamá Coco” in the Pixar movie “Coco” has died, according to the secretary of tourism for the Mexican state of Michoacán.

Caballero died in her native Purépecha town, Santa Fe de la Laguna, in Michoacán.

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Roberto Monroy, the secretary of tourism for Michoacán, confirmed her death Sunday afternoon.

“I deeply regret the death of Doña María Salud Ramírez Caballero, ‘Mamá Coco’, tireless woman and example of life, who was an inspiration for this beloved character who went around the world,” Monroy wrote in a tweet, which was translated from Spanish.

Caballero was never formally credited as the inspiration of the character of Disney Pixar’s 2017 animated film despite the likeness between them. However, she was known as “Mamá Coco” in her hometown.

Born on Sept. 16, 1913, Caballero dedicated her life to pottery with her husband and raised three children, who gave her dozens of grandchildren and countless great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, according to El País, a newspaper.

“Mamá Coco” or not, Caballero’s legacy will always live in Western Mexico, where she is a local legend.

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