New Dad Val Chmerkovskiy Mourns ‘Sad Loss’

Val Chmerkovskiy


Getty

Val Chmerkovskiy

“Dancing With the Stars” professional dancer and new father Val Chmerkovskiy took time to mourn the loss of Hector Ramirez, a cameraman who worked on the ballroom dance competition, on January 18, 2023. 

Chmerkovskiy posted a lengthy tribute to the cameraman on his Instagram Stories.

“I had the greatest honor to work with this man,” he wrote. “On a set full of alphas and stars Hector was the one I tended to always brag about in regards to the show. ‘Yo that dude got more Emmys and accolades than anyone here. The MJ of the steadicam.’ I speak for a lot of the dancers and choreographers on our show that ever created something, you always looked to Hector’s steadicam work to elevate your performance.”

He added, “And the weeks you knew your routine just wasn’t up to par, you begged and pleaded for ‘more Hector, more steadi, please.’ This is a sad loss of a beautiful man. Always smiling always grateful and just like with his camera work, as a human he always made the moment he was a part of a just a little better.”

Ramirez died on January 11, 2023, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 78 years old.


Hector Ramirez Worked on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ For 21 Seasons

Val Chmerkovskiy Tribute to Hector Ramirez

InstagramVal Chmerkovskiy posted a lengthy tribute to Hector Ramirez.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ramirez had esophageal cancer. He spent time working on “Dancing With the Stars,” “America’s Got Talent,” and Fail Safe.” He also worked on the 2001 Super Bowl halftime show. According to the outlet, Ramirez received 74 Emmy Nominations.

Ramirez’s wife, Alma, announced the news on social media, per Deadline.

“Today I lost my husband, partner, friend, hero, protector, handyman and cameraman extraordinaire,” Alma wrote. “So many memories to behold in the 47 years of our marriage that my heart is broken and my world so much smaller. He was larger than life, a dad, grandfather, uncle, brother and loved by so many friends. He touched so many lives. He is deeply missed. No more pain baby, rest in peace and go and tell your stories to all the angels in heaven.”

Chmerkovskiy welcomed his first child, a son, on January 10, 2023.

“Our world is forever changed,” the couple wrote alongside an image of their hands intertwined with their baby’s fingers. “1.10.23.”

They did not reveal the baby’s name, though they previously shared that they were expecting a boy, and they later hinted at the baby’s name through an “R” necklace in an Instagram post.


Carrie Ann Inaba Also Paid Tribute to Ramirez

“Dancing With the Stars” judge Carrie Ann Inaba took to Instagram on January 17, 2023, to share her tribute to Ramirez alongside a photo of herself and the quote, “The highest tribute to the dead is not grief, but gratitude,” which is attributed to Thorton Wilder.

“To the incredible Hector Ramirez, … you were the smile I always loved to see on set,” she began. “From the first time I worked with you on @missamerica dragging you around backwards (w/ @barrylather as he dragged Dave Eastwood) on the steady cams – you were always so respectful and kind.”

She went on to share that she was always looking for Ramirez’s smile on set when he was there.

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