Yolanda Vadiz

Yolanda Vadiz (1959-1986) was a Puerto Rican soprano. A Christian since her teen years, Vadiz was a gospel singer who crossed over to popular music.

Vadiz was the daughter of Cuban actress and show host Meche Marchand, who has lived in Puerto Rico for many years. When Vadiz was little, her mother married comedy actor, show host and tv chef Luis Antonio Cosme, who grew to love Vadiz as if she were his own daughter.

Vadiz released her first (and only) album, Amor en Mil Idiomas (Love in a Thousand Languages) in 1986, in Spanish, English and Italian. The song for which the album was named became an instant hit, not only on Puerto Rico's gospel radio stations, but also on mainstream music stations, because of it's pop music rhythim.

Vadiz married an Italian lawyer late in 1986, and they moved to Rome. Two weeks after moving there, her husband was found dead, and she was found unsconcious near him. It was determined that the cause of the tragedy was gas poisoning. She was taken to a hospital in Rome, and her mother flew by her side. The news of her critical state and her husband's death crossed Puerto Rico immediately, and several personalities on different tv shows asked viewers to pray for her.

Cosme himself, upon hearing about the news, chartered a hospital airplane so she could be flown to Puerto Rico, and paid for her medical treatment. She was flown, while still unsconcious, to her homeland with her mother by her side. Despite all efforts, she passed away a few days later.

Vadiz's mother had been divorced from Cosme for about a year when the tragedy happened. In 1987, Cosme re-married and in 1988, he and his new wife had a daughter, and they named her Yolanda, to honor Vadiz's memory.