Friends and family buried Laguna Monday at Tanah Kusir Cemetery after a prayer service at his family home in Bintaro, South Jakarta.

Laguna died as a result of complications from a kidney failure, after fighting a kidney-related illness for several years.

The man, who is best known for his radio and stage persona “Mimi Been”, was the co-host of a long-running radio show Rush Hour with J.C. Falch, which aired twice a week from December 1996 to August this year.

Laguna, who studied art and fashion design in Singapore and Indonesia, also had a successful career in fashion designing with his line “Laguna” between 1999 and 2003. He was in several TV movies and founded Vi.eM Production House. This year, he produced the indie experimental film At the Very Bottom of Everything.

Friends remember Laguna as a passionate and driven person with a kind heart.

Paul Agusta, director of At the Very Bottom of Everything, said Laguna was one of “the most vibrant human beings” he had ever met.

“He’s one of the kindest and warmest people I’ve ever met,” he said in a telephone interview.

“There is not a single person who did not immediately like him. You couldn’t be sad around him. He’s one of these people who could not stand you looking down and depressed. He would immediately try to make you smile and usually succeeded,” he said.

Paul said he had met Laguna in 2008 for an interview at the latter’s radio show. Laguna was already passionate about films and had wanted to produce and be directly involved in film production.

“After talking with him, I saw he had this amazing passion and drive, so I asked him to collaborate with me on my second film,” Paul said.

Paul added Laguna was the type of person who loved hard work, which according to his friends was one his biggest problems. “He always worked too hard. He would take on five projects at the same time,” he said.

Tommy Wisnu Pratomo, who had known Laguna for more than a decade, said Laguna had struggled with an illness since he was little. In 1991, Laguna had a kidney transplant and another one in 2004, Tommy said.

“But he never complained about his illness.”

“My impression of him is that he is someone who doesn’t give up easily. He wants to try everything. Maybe he’s curious because of his condition and knowing that he doesn’t have a lot of time, he tries everything that he wants to know about,” Tommy said.

Paul said that Laguna wanted to accomplish as many things he could while he still could.

“He had an amazing life. He accomplished so many things. He had a successful fashion line, a successful radio show, a successful film, in one life time. Most people would kill for just one,” Paul said.

He is survived by his mother, Hetti WK and several siblings.

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