Cameron Diaz's family remembered her late father Emilio for his humor and honesty, and said they're managing to cope with his shock death on April 15 with "an amazing outpouring of love."
"His love for laughter was undeniable and he embraced life head-on in such a dynamic way that he was impossible to forget," the Diaz family said in an statement released today.
Emilio Diaz died from post-influenza MRSA pneumonia, an aggressive staph infection that can occur in all ages and in otherwise healthy people, the family said. He was 58.
Emilio was a "playful abuelo" - Spanish for grandpa - who was "incredibly loyal and dependable" and always ready to "stand-up up for those who were less fortunate.
"As a family, it is almost impossible to put into words how amazing Emilio was," they said. "The one thing that was a certainty with Emilio was that you always knew where you stood with him. He was so honest and always spoke his mind."
He also "loved to share his love through laughter," the family said.
"The thing that was most important to him was his family," they said. "And he often said that his greatest accomplishment was raising two people that were better human beings than he was. He was devoted to each family member equally and was proud of the accomplishments they all made."
The Diaz family is dealing with their loss "through support and love from family and friends and the amazing outpouring of love and admiration from those people whose lives Emilio touched," they said.
Cuban-American Emilio is survived by wife Billie and their daughters Cameron, 35, and Chimene, 37.