Celebrity friends of the late Johnny Delgado said they will miss the actor’s bear hugs.

“[Mami-miss namin] ‘yung tawa niya, most of all ‘yung bear hug niya. Tinatawag [din niya] kaming baby,” recalled actresses Sandy Andolong and Amy Austria.

Gloria Romero added: “Naalala ko ‘yung sa ‘Tanging ‘Yaman’ (where the two starred). Ang sabi niya, ‘I love you, Mamang,’ [at] sabi ko [naman] ‘I love you, too.’ I’m gonna miss Johnny talaga.”

Award-winning actress Cherry Pie Picache admits to having “guilty feelings” for not visiting Johnny at the hospital.

“I was able to know him well in the sense na hindi lang senior artist na hinahangaan ko, pero naging Tito Johnny ko siya eh, naging daddy-daddy-han ko siya.

“May guilty feelings lang ako kasi hindi ko siya nadalaw,” a teary-eyed Cherry Pie said.

Even younger artists grieve Johnny’s passing.

“A few years back, they asked me to live in their house. They treated me like a son,” recalled actor Jericho Rosales.

A tearful Angelica Panganiban shared: “Si Tito Johnny kasi ‘yung tao na hindi ka niya iiwan, di ka niya bibitawan. Para kasi siyang tatay sa lahat eh.”

Other veteran actors praised Johnny.

“Kung ano siya, ‘yun siya. Walang pretensyon,” said Rio Locsin.

“He’s a very cool guy.” Bong Revilla, Jr. added. “Napakasarap kasama. Masayahin. Marami kang matutunan sa kanya.”

Philip Salvador regards Johnny as a source of hope and wisdom.

“May sagot siya sa lahat ng problema. He’ll make you feel that everything will be okay.”

Ina Feleo, the younger of Johnny’s two daughters with actress-director Laurice Guillen, feels overwhelmed by the kind words.

“I’m so overwhelmed na ang laki niyang kawalan, kasi hindi lang kami ‘yung pinakitaan niya ng kabutihan.

“Si Daddy, hindi siya public [person], ‘di siya masyadong nagpapa-interview. Pero ‘pag nakatrabaho mo siya, he’s so sincere. Malalim ang connection niya sa’yo,” she tearfully said.

Albeit they have accepted his death, she admitted that losing him has not sunk in.

“Ang laking tulong na ‘yung passing niya was a beautiful and peaceful passing, [pero] hindi mo ma-imagine siyang patay kasi he’s so full of life,” related Ina in a live interview on “The Buzz.”

Ina will never forget how her father unwaveringly encouraged her to reach for her dreams.

“Siya ang nagtuturo sa’min na mangarap. Everytime I go into something, ang layo-layo ng tingin niya, feeling niya kaya naming abutin yun. Ngayon pipilitin ko na ako ‘yung mangangarap, and I’ll go for it,” she said.