In one of the most moving interviews than Álvaro Vargas Llosa offered El Comercio, the essayist shared intimate details of the last days of his father, the Nobel Mario Vargas Llosa. The essayist remarked that the Nobel died next to his family, who converged in Lima just to take care of him.
One of the most personal and emotional aspects of that final stage was a letter that Mario Vargas Llosa He wrote to his Nieto Leandrowho follows his literary steps.
“He wrote, with great difficulty and making a tremendous effort, a letter to my son Leandro, who has a literary vocation, warning him,” Álvaro said.
The letter is a will of wisdom, which reflects Mario’s understanding about the challenges of literary career and life itself. In it, he told his grandson that success is a coincidence, and that what awaits him in this race is sacrifice, even frustration. “If that’s what you want, do it”he wrote.
This advice, full of realism, underlines the vision of Mario Vargas Llosa about the sacrifices inherent in the search for excellence and the importance of perseverating despite the difficulties.
For Leandro, the letter has an incalculable value, so he did not hesitate to frame it as a reminder of his grandfather’s words, something that will probably accompany him his whole life, Álvaro said.
The difficulty with which Mario He wrote that letter, considering his delicate state of health, gives him even more value, because he demonstrates the love and dedication that the writer had for his loved ones, especially for Leandro, who follows his passion for literature.
However, the revelations of Álvaro Vargas Llosa They did not stay alone in the written words. During the last days of Mario Vargas Llosathere were moments of great tenderness and also of deep reflection.
In one of those moments, the writer asked Patricia, his wife. With his sensitive character and his love for his family, Mario asked him: “Patricia, are you in love?”. The question, full of affection and curiosity, occurred in an intimate environment, surrounded by the context of its physical deterioration.
Álvaro, when asked about how his mother responded, laughs when he told the anecdote. “Ha, ha.
Although Patricia never shared with Álvaro his exact response, the reaction of Mario Vargas Llosa, In his deteriorated state, he demonstrates the importance he gave to his loved ones and the sensitivity of the writer.
Mario Vargas Llosa died on April 13 at age 89, leaving an invaluable literary legacy. Beyond his literature achievements, his life was marked by his relationship with Patricia Llosahis wife for more than half a century, with whom he lived a love story that went through moments of happiness, challenges and reconciliations.
The relationship between Mario and Patricia began in the 60s, when she was just 15 years old and he 25. Despite the age difference, her link was quickly strengthened, and Mario welcomed Patricia in her home in Paris, where she was already married to her political aunt, Julia Urquidi. The romance between Mario and Patricia was controversial and surprised her family, especially because Mario had divorced Julia shortly before starting her relationship with Patricia. In 1965, after four years of living together, they married, and in the following years their three children were born: Leandro, Gonzalo and Morgana.
For more than 50 years of marriage, Patricia was a fundamental support for Mario, not only as a mother and wife, but also as a literary collaborator. In his speech at the delivery ceremony of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2010Mario dedicated emotional words, thanking him for his unconditional support and for having been his support over the years. “If you weren’t, I would have collapsed a long time ago,” he said gratitude.
However, in 2015, after 50 years of marriage, the relationship suffered a media blow due to the appearance of Mario’s relationship with the socialite Isabel Preysler.
This romance, which monopolized the headlines, marked the end of his life in common with Patricia. The separation was painful for the family, especially because it had been unexpected.
In 2022, after the break with Isabel Preyslerrumors began to circulate about a possible reconciliation between Mario and Patricia. After seven years of distancing, the couple approached again, demonstrating that, despite the ups and downs, the love between them had endured over time.
Mario Vargas Llosa He closed the circle of his life with Patricia, who was always a key figure in his existence, both personal and professionally.
