When doctors told Carlos Laboy this spring that he had a rare blood cancer, he didn’t cry—he was his usual upbeat self, cracking jokes to lighten the mood and make those around him laugh. The only time his illness got to him was when he was told that, because of treatment, he would have to leave his job at the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center (MMCC), where he’s directed the drama program for nearly 15 years.

“The only time he cried, the only time he showed emotion, is when the physicians told him he could not return back to work,” said Laboy’s younger sister, Seffiyah Nichols.  “That was what he was distraught about.”

Laboy passed away Sunday after a months-long battle with Mantle cell lymphoma, a non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He was 59. His sister’s anecdote is a testament to what many say made Laboy such a beloved figure: his love and passion for the theater, and his dedication to helping others—especially youths—discover theirs.

“He was just a special person,” said Don Bluestone, executive director at MMCC. “He loved to act, he loved to create, and he had a special love of working with young people.”

Laboy founded “Stagekids” at the Center eight years ago, a theater program for kids ages 10 to 17, and also ran “Teen to Teen,” a program where students film and produce their own news show.

Michael Shanley says Laboy was instrumental in helping his son, Tiernan, prepare for his audition at Talented Unlimited High School, a performing arts school in Manhattan (Tiernan was accepted and will start classes there this fall.)

“Carlos was such a monumental figure that just gave fully of himself to the youth of the Bronx. He brought so much talent and creativity,” Shanley said. “It’s certainly a blow to us all.”

Born in Spanish Harlem and raised on the Upper West Side, Laboy caught the theatre bug young, after seeing several productions of “Shakespeare in the Park,” the free plays performed every summer in Central Park. It wasn’t long before he was choreographing his own performances and giving free shows with friends on the streets of his Manhattan neighborhood, Nichols remembered.

In addition to Nichols, Laboy is survived by his sisters Leticia Cruz and Delia Laboy, and his brother, Ismael Laboy. 

Bluestone said the center is dedicated to keeping Laboy’s programs up and running. They plan to begin looking for a replacement director in the coming weeks.

Ahmad Abu-Hammour, whose 12-year-old son Lawrence has been taking Laboy’s classes since he was kindergarten, said it just won’t be the same.

“Carlos, he’s the one who started the whole thing,” Abu-Hammour said. “It was too fast, and too soon.”

Ed. Note: In lieu of flowers, Laboy’s family is asking people to donate to the Teen Program at Mosholu Montefiore Community Center. Contributions can be sent to MMCC at 3450 DeKalb Ave., Bronx, NY, 10467. Just write: “Re: MMCC Teen Program” in the memo line. A wake is being held on Wed., Aug. 25 between 3 and 9 p.m. at Ortiz Funeral Home, 2580 Grand Concourse.