Selena Quintanilla's life may have tragically ended more than 25 years ago, but her memory is more alive than ever. This is especially the case in the minds and hearts of her loved ones who were also an integral part of her music career. They never anticipated that her life would be taken away when she was only 23 years old and on the brink of becoming a global superstar. Despite this awful experience, her family has chosen to be open with her fans and share photos of their time together that reveal how close they truly were as a unit. Fans are especially grateful to still have connection to her on days like her birthday which was on April 16, and the anniversary of her death on March 31.
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Selena's brother, A.B. Quintanilla, worked closely with her and helped create some of her biggest hits, like "Como La Flor" and "Amor Prohibido." We can't imagine how difficult it was for him to lose his sister and what must have felt like his life's work at once. "I had an awesome and beautiful sister that touched many hearts," A.B. told BMI. "She's more important than what I am. I was asked during a recent interview about what I felt most comfortable doing. My comfortable job was making the hits for Selena. My job was to be the guy in the shadows. That's the guy I liked being. Now I have to be the voice for her to make sure her legacy continues."
Suzette Quintanilla, Selena's sister, also shared an incredible bond with her. They were best friends who spent so much time together on tour buses while they were on the road. "Late nights after the gigs, she would wipe off her makeup, she would eat something, and then she would come and crawl in our bunk and we would just talk," Suzette told Popsugar. "About her makeup line, her dreams, her being a mother, her being married to Chris — just about life, what families and what sisters normally do. That for me was my special moment."
A.B. and Suzette have shared so much about their time with Selena. In honor of her life and her untimely death, here are some of the best throwback pictures they have shared with fans on social media through the years.
Selena was always a beauty.
Selena's brother A.B. shared this school picture of Selena from long before she was a star, along with the caption "ICON," and boy, was he right. Her family knew she was talented from a young age, but they couldn't have known just how big her star would grow.
Selena was an '80s vibe.
At heart, Selena really was a regular American teen in the 1980s. She loved trying out trends fashion and beauty trends, as proven by the many crazy hairstyles she was pictured with throughout the years. This '80s punk-rock 'do is a total vibe.
Look at Selena's smile!
Love this photo of this crew. These three were so close, not only as siblings but also as creators and artists. They all pulled together to make their sister a star and had her back through every part of her journey.
This trio was as thick as thieves.
"Best big bro and lil sis I could ever have!!" Suzette captioned this picture. "Looking back on old pictures today with my heart full. I’m truly blessed to have had this bond growing up. No matter what… FAMILIA is Life!!"
Suzette shared this sweet photo on National Siblings Day one year.
Selena's larger-than-life smile and laughter was one of the things people loved about her the most. She lived fully and didn't hold back her joy, like we see in this photo. We wonder what the sisters were laughing about.
There goes that beautiful smile again.
Here she is surrounded by her band, Los Dinos. This legendary group really created some incredible hits during their time together. We can only imagine the wonderful things they would have continued to accomplish if Selena were still with us.
Here is Selena with her mom and Suzette.
This must be such a precious memory of all the women in the Quintanilla clan. The beauty genes in this family are so strong! We love how each one of them had her own style yet they all still looked so much alike.
Having a close relationship with a sibling is a huge blessing.
No matter how much time passes, Selena's memory has stayed with Suzette, and she still visits her in her dreams. "Woke this morning from an amazing dream we were hanging out laughing the rest of the story is mine to keep," Suzette wrote. "Lol love u Buffy."
This picture warms our hearts.
So cute! For those out there who are lucky enough to have a sister, you know there's nothing as sweet and comforting as a hug from your sister. A.B. shared this pic of his sisters and captioned it: "Love this!!!! Love them!!!!"
Selena's dad groomed her for success from a young age.
"#TBT BIG TIME!!" Suzette wrote. "My dark nugget head is on drums, dad in guitar and Sel on vocals! I personally think Selena looks soooo much like my brother AB here! Made me look twice!! Lol."
A.B. and Selena left a permanent mark on the Tejano music scene.
"How can The Tejano market be fixed???" A.B. wrote in 2014. "Through strong leadership, organization, and financial backing. This pic was taken at The Tejano Awards back in the day when you truly had to have a hit across the board to even be nominated."
Look how adorable she was as a kid.
"Selena, AB, Roberto Pulido, Mr. Q and myself #TBT," Suzette captioned this photo. Selena was rubbing shoulders with other artists when she was just a little girl, long before she became a household name. Then she went on to become a legend.
This is such an '80s moment!
The fashion from those times were too good not to share, especially when they were hitting the stage together or posing for photos. "Photo shoot in the garage!!!" A.B. wrote along with this photo. "Lol!!! Shiny Pants!!!"
We rarely see pictures of Selena and her extended family.
This photo of Selena with her grandfather on her dad's side is an absolute treasure! "#TBT Selena and Grandpa Abraham Sr.," A.B. wrote with this pic. She looked stunning.
Here she is with her other grandfather.
The three kids posed for a super-cute photo with their grandfather from their mom's side. Check out those haircuts they are sporting! So 1990s. "Suzette, Grandpa Ralph, Selena, A.B.," A.B. captioned the image.
Selena's cousin was her BFF.
"Selena and our cousin Sarah," A.B. wrote. "Sarah was Selena's best friend!!! #familia." There was really so much beauty in this family! While we often remember Selena's immediate family, we can't imagine how many other people close to her were affected by her loss.
Selena got to spend time with some of her nieces and nephews.
"Tia Selena with my kids," A.B. wrote. Seeing her looking so happy with her niece and nephew makes us wish we would have been able to see her as a mom. That would have been the best.
Selena winning a Grammy was such an iconic moment.
Selena celebrated her big Grammy win in a major way, as she should! It was a huge accomplishment. We would get an ice sculpture of the trophy if we won one, too.
Selena and A.B. were so young in this pic.
Awww! A.B. and his sis seemed to have had the greatest brotherly and sisterly bond. Not only that, but they were also phenomenal collaborators musically and created some magic together with their songs.
A.B. openly shares how difficult it has been to lose his sister.
The family has remained in the public eye, constantly speaking about the impact Selena had on their lives and in the music world. "This post is dedicated to anyone who has lost a loved one," A.B. captioned this photo in 2016. "It never gets easier only harder!!!"
A.B. asked fans to guess who was in this picture.
A.B. shared a cute pic of one of his sisters when they were younger and asked fans to take a wild guess about who it was. We could tell this was Selena from a mile away. That face is unmistakable. Her facial expressions were all her own.
This photo of Selena sleeping is so cute!
Only Selena could look this glamorous while taking a nap, right? She was a superstar, but she also needed and appreciated her rest. "She was a hard working artist who took power naps," A.B. shared.
