Anja Mironova recalls Tose Proeski’s private side

Years after his death, memories of Tose Proeski still move people across the Balkans — a close friend has recalled how he behaved away from the spotlight.

Tose Proeski's sudden death on 16 October 2007 left an enduring void for millions of fans in the region. New personal recollections from people who knew him privately continue to shape the picture of the singer not only as a performer but as a person.

Anja Mironova, a longtime friend, spoke openly about his private character, irritated by those who use his name for publicity. She remembered him as "a once‑in‑a‑lifetime person: always sincere, optimistic, but also very emotional and strong. I never saw Tose get annoyed and pick a fight. He was still smiling, even when he did not feel like smiling. Tose was not some kind of saint, to be clear. He was simply a young man that today's world lacks, a complete and caring person who would help anyone." Mironova also said his manners and kindness came from his family and the church.

Small details behind the public image

Behind a luminous career, Tose preferred a quieter life: he loved opera, film scores and historical films, followed sport, and in the months before his death he devoted time to learning foreign languages, particularly fascinated by Italian. When he was exhausted after a show, he would not complain — instead he would smile and say: "Ugh, how wonderfully tired I am!"

The scope of his generosity is illustrated by an episode recalled on social media by Ariton Rama from the Čair neighbourhood of Skopje. While Ariton was organising help for orphaned children of Albanian, Turkish and Bosniak background through the local Red Cross, he said he faced repeated refusals from politicians and businessmen. Tose answered the call immediately and came to the Red Cross.

"I was truly surprised when Tose came up to me and greeted me, and then said: 'I know a few words of Albanian: faliminderit, ditën e mirë, ju dua'. He reminded me that the world is made of good and bad people, and our task is to embrace the good ones," Ariton recalled. Fifteen days later Tose contacted him personally and donated €8,000, with the explicit wish that all the money be used for children of Albanian background. He later returned unexpectedly to embrace the children, who greeted him in their mother tongue while he told them: "I love you all!"

These spontaneous acts and memories explain why Tose Proeski remains an enduring inspiration — a performer whose songs and open heart united audiences across communities.

Photo: press material from the event