Just four short months after losing her husband of over four decades, actress Charo is speaking candidly about moving forward after tragedy. The star of The Love Boat — who gave her first interview since her husband Kjell Rasten died by suicide at the age of 78 in February — revealed that finding joy again requires focusing on one essential thing: living life fully and cherishing those you love.
“You must live! And you must watch out for the people you love!” Charo shared with The New York Times. She went on to explain, “I have a plan. I want to change the world. I know what I want, and what I want is what people want. Life is about making a difference, even when it feels impossible to do so.”
A Heartfelt Conversation About Healing
On February 18, the 68-year-old beauty discovered her husband’s body after searching their home while singing, “Good morning, good morning.” Recalling the harrowing moment, the Thumbelina actress said, “My husband put a bullet in his head. I have an invisible bullet in my heart.” The weight of that tragedy still lingers, but Charo is determined to honor her husband’s memory by embracing life.
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Charo's Journey Through Grief
After losing her beloved husband, Charo — whose real name is Maria Rosario Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza — admitted to spending 30 days secluded in her bedroom, feeling utterly "empty." But eventually, she came to the realization that her time "as a woman has ended," meaning she doesn't believe she'll find love with another man. Despite this, she remains optimistic about life. “I love life. I will continue entertaining, and I will continue praying,” she declared passionately.
Charo's Heartfelt Tribute
In a statement issued the day after his passing, Charo opened up about her husband’s shocking death. “Yesterday, Kjell, my husband of forty years and the love of my life, killed himself. There are no words to describe what we are feeling now,” she said at the time. “He was an amazing man, a great husband, and the best father I could imagine to our son [Shel Rasten]. He dedicated his life to loving and supporting his family.”
Charo also revealed that her husband had been battling a "rare and horrible skin disease" called bullous pemphigoid, along with depression. She explained that the medication he was taking for his condition "became too much for him" to handle, in addition to his mental health struggles. "He ended his suffering," she said, emphasizing the complexity of his situation.
Despite the challenges her husband faced, Charo told the newspaper that he never mentioned suicide. With a hint of humor, she added, “One day, if I behave well and I go up [to Heaven], I’m going to look for him and I’m going to say, ‘I’m still looking for that note.’”
