'America's Got Talent' singer's emotional tribute to late twin brings Sofia Vergara to tears: 'I lost my...'
It seems like Sofia Vergara isn't afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve! During a July 2022 episode of 'America's Got Talent' Season 17, Sofia was moved to tears after a contestant named Wyn Starks dedicated his performance to his late twin brother. For his audition on the NBC talent competition, Starks performed an original song named 'Who Am I?' in front of the esteemed judging panel. As per Decider, while sharing his thoughts on the song, Starks told the judges Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell, and Sofia, “It was one of my brother’s favorite songs. I’m a twin and recently actually lost my twin brother.”
After listening to the emotional story behind Starks' song, Sofia quipped, “Oh, no." Meanwhile, Starks went on to say, “It’s been really hard. And, you know, he was one of my biggest supporters. So, being here means everything to me, and I’m doing this for him. I just want to do this and honor him." Soon after, the camera panned towards Sofia, who appeared sad in her seat at the table. Following the performance, the judges gave their valuable feedback to Starks.
When the host, Terry Crews, asked Sofia to share her thoughts on Starks' performance, an emotional Sofia uttered, “That was amazing. I’m so sorry for your loss. I know what that means. I lost my brother too, and I cannot even imagine what it is to lose a twin because that bond has to be something unexplainable. … I love all the feeling that you gave to your song. I love your song, and I love that it was your song.” Soon after, Cowell, who was sitting right next to Sofia at the judges' table, tried to console her by putting an arm on her shoulder.
For those unaware, let us share with you that Sofia's elder brother, Rafael Vergara, was gunned down during a kidnapping attempt that took place in Colombia in 1998. During a 2011 interview with Parade magazine, Sofia candidly spoke about her brother Rafael's tragic death. “My older brother, Rafael, was killed in Colombia,” Sofia told the media at that time. In the same interview, Sofia referred to the whole incident as 'a nightmare.' After the disturbing event, Sofia asked her mother, Margarita Vergara de Vergara, her sister, Veronica Vergara, and her younger brother, Julio Vergara, to reside in Miami with her.
On the other hand, when we talk about Sofia's father, Julio Enrique Vergara Robayo, he stayed back in Colombia. Talking about her family members, the 'Modern Family' actress shared, “Mother was like a zombie. I wanted to be with them. So I got a big house, and we all lived together. I am so grateful to be in this country.” However, the Vergara family had a tough time mourning the loss of Rafael. Sofia further added, "After Rafael died, Julio had a rough time. They were very close.” Then, Julio headed to a college in Michigan, but Sofia stated, "He wasn’t ready. He started with alcohol there, then pot, then cocaine, and then crack." After taking a small pause, Sofia said, "Now he’s like another person. To see somebody dying over 10 years, little by little, that’s the worst punishment.”