A “peaceful departure” was the last thing the veteran Egyptian actor Nabil al-Halfawy wished for, praying before his death that he would not suffer long pains or a tormenting illness.
His sons Walid and Khaled al-Halfawy announced the star’s passing on Sunday at the age of 77, following health issues that led to him being hospitalized for several days.
Several celebrated actors came forward to mourn Halfawy, including Esaad Younes who bid him farewell by saying: “May God keep you safe, captain.”
Actress Hend Sabry said, “We lost a great star and human being who created a world for himself from his characters that he entertained us with.” Bushra also bid him farewell with touching words.
Star Rania Farid Shawky described him as “an artist and a human being, one of the most beautiful creations of God -a great talent with high morals.”
Mohamed Sobhi, his classmate, Mohamed Imam, and Abir Sabry also mourned him.
Media personality Lamis al-Hadidi said: “This broke all our hearts. We were waiting for your tweet, as usual, after the match,” referring to the veteran actor’s frequent tweets about Al-Ahly SC.
The late actor had cultivated a close relationship with his fans through social media, where he freely expressed his opinions and was so beloved amongst football fans that he had even been nicknamed “The Mayor of Ahly fans.”
Even the Cabinet mourned the actor, with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, expressed his deepest condolences to the family of the late artist, calling him a “towering” artistic figure.
Al-Ahly pays its condolences
The President of Ahly Club, Mahmoud al-Khatib, and members of the Board of Directors mourned Halfawy in a statement issued by the club via its official accounts on social media platforms.
The former goalkeeper of Ahly and the Egyptian national team, Ahmed Shobeir, expressed his condolences on his official account on the X platform, writing: “He left an unforgettable mark in the hearts of his fans.”
Former Ahly star Osama Orabi told Al-Masry Al-Youm: “We offer our condolences to ourselves and his family on the death of one of the great artists, whom I consider one of the most distinguished and brilliant actors from the golden age.”
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
