Maria Salud Ramirez Caballero, the inspiration behind Pixar’s popular movie Mama Coco, has passed away at 108-years-old. Pixar reportedly created the well-known Coco character in honor of Caballero’s long and fulfilled life. Born in 1913, and more commonly known to locals as Nana Salud, Maria stayed in a small town located in the Santa Fe de la Laguna area, in which she developed a unique love and passion for ceramic pottery.
“I deeply regret the death of Doña María Salud Ramírez Caballero, ‘Mama Coco,’ a tireless woman and example of life,” Secretary of Tourism for the Mexican state of Michoacan, Roberto Monroy stated. “She was the inspiration for this beloved character who went around the world.” Claimed by various locals and multiple close relatives, Caballero was a family woman who was continuously taken care of by her three children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.