The "Como la Flor" singer continues to live on in the hearts of many.
Anything for Selenas.
It's been 22 years since the death of Selena Quintanilla, who was 23 years old when she was shot and killed by one of her fan club employees, Yolanda Saldivar, on March 31, 1995.
Over the years, legions of fans have kept her legacy alive, but despite their relentless and much appreciated support, the Quintanilla family continues to mourn their heart-wrenching loss.
"Early on when she passed away, people would tell me that time heals your heart and I couldn’t understand that," Selena's older sister, Suzette Quintanilla, told ET's Deidre Behar. "It’s not so much that time heals your heart, it’s more that time helps you deal with what’s been put in front of you."
"Your heart will never heal," she continued. "There’s this emptiness that’s in the heart. It doesn’t get any easier, you just learn how to deal with it. I was raised knowing that one day, she’ll be resurrected and we’ll see her again."
At the time of her death, Selena was at the peak of her career, having skyrocketed to the top of the Tejano charts with songs like "Como la Flor," "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" and "Dreaming of You." She won a Grammy for Best Mexican-American Album in 1993.
Her father, Abraham Quintanilla, was the driving force behind her international success. He devoted his life to her career, wearing multiple hats as a devoted father, manager and mentor.
"We’re programmed emotionally and spiritually to accept that the older folks go first, but when your child goes first, it’s a different kind of pain," he shared with ET. "Death is a very painful thing for humans. It is. Everybody that has gone through something like this understands what I'm saying."
"My wife feels the same way that I do," he continued. "My wife is more fragile emotionally. For 20 years, she's [suffered] from depression, and sometimes, emotionally, my wife feels like Selena just got killed this morning."
"In my mind she’s still alive," he explained. "You get involved with doing things for her every day that sometimes I forget that she’s not here with us anymore. So, in a way, it’s hard to explain, but in my mind, she’s alive."
When asked what he would say to Selena if she was still alive, he responded, "I would just hug her. I wouldn’t let her go."
"[She] was a giving person," he added. "She was always happy. She wanted a farm and kids."
EXCLUSIVE: Go Inside Selena Quintanilla's Memorial Museum: Bustiers, GRAMMY Gown and Her Porsche!
"That’s exactly how people see her," Suzette added. "She’s being remembered the way she needs to be remembered. [She was] beautiful, smart and dorky!"
Later this year, Selena will be honored with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In the meantime, fans can visit the Selena Museum located in the singer's hometown, Corpus Christi, Texas. For an exclusive tour of the museum, watch the video below.
