Rafael Pablo Romero, father of Spanish actress and model Blanca Romero, died on Sunday, August 9 in Gijon at the age of 81. He passed away after several months of declining health, during which his daughter traveled regularly to Asturias to be by his side.
The family installed the funeral chapel at the Gijon-Cabueñes Funeral Home. Family members will gather there privately to bid farewell before his cremation.
Rafael Romero was married to Blanca Aurora Ezama. He was the father of three children, Blanca, Tatiana, and Alejandro, and had three grandchildren named Alvaro, Martin, and Lucia.
Bullfighting career and hotel construction
Born in Huelva, Rafael Romero initially pursued a career in bullfighting under the name Romerito. He competed in approximately 60 novilladas with picadors and shared testing sessions in the countryside with bullfighter Francisco Rivera Paquirri. A severe goring ended his bullfighting career, leading him to transition into hotel construction.
His early connection to bullfighting reemerged years later when his daughter Blanca married Cayetano Rivera Ordonez, the son of Paquirri, in 2001. The wedding took place in Gijon, and the reception was held at the Gran Hotel Jovellanos in Porceyo, an establishment built by Rafael Romero.
Blanca Romero later explained that her father did not serve as her groomsman because he was highly emotional and feared he would be unable to control his tears and nerves. Her brother Alejandro escorted her to the altar instead. The former Gran Hotel Jovellanos stopped operating as a hotel years ago and currently functions as the Jovellanos Intergenerational Center.
Father's health battle and family care
Public concern for his health began in October 2025 when he was hospitalized. Blanca Romero was competing on the television show Dancing with the Stars at the time, but made her family her priority. She stated that if anything happened while she was away filming, she would never forgive herself.
Following one of her visits to Asturias, she returned to Madrid with renewed hope. She shared that she had initially found her father downcast, sad, and barely speaking, but the presence of his family helped lift his spirits.
During her visits, she attempted to set aside her own distress to give him strength. She acknowledged crying away from his presence while striving to offer him affection and smiles in person. She also highlighted the impact of visits from his grandchildren and the dedicated care provided by her mother.
His condition remained delicate through November 2025, when Blanca Romero noted ongoing medical complications and doubts regarding his ability to swallow. She maintained frequent visits to Asturias over the subsequent months.
Final social media photo and family relationship
On July 26, 2026, Blanca Romero shared a selfie with her father as part of a daily life photo collection on social media. The image showed Rafael Romero seated in an armchair wearing an abdominal support band and a small bandage on his temple, accompanied by a brief message encouraging him to keep moving forward in 2026.
Blanca Romero was in Asturias during the hours leading up to her father's death. Although she takes pride in her father's Andalusian heritage from Huelva, Gijon was where she was born and raised and where she retains strong family roots.
Reflecting on her youth, she recalled that at age 19, her father held traditional views and expressed concern when she decided to move to Paris to attempt a modeling career. While her mother encouraged the move, Blanca Romero noted that her independent nature would have led her to go regardless. Over time, those early generational differences transformed into a deep, affectionate relationship that defined his final months.
