UPDATE - August 31, 2016 - 9:23 a.m. ET: The family of Juan Gabriel posts a statement on the artist's official Facebook page responding to the inquiries regarding the public funeral service date as well as the specific plans for commemorating the musician's life. The memorial service will be held in Juarez this weekend and the commemoration will take place in the "coming weeks". This was the statement:

"The sudden and unexpected loss of our father has been very difficult for all of us. We are very grateful for the extraordinary support we have received from fans all over the world and for the very meaningful stories they have shared about their memories of him.

We are still in the process of making final arrangements, but we expect to have a memorial service in Juarez this weekend, which will be followed by a public celebration of our father's life and his musical career as "Juan Gabriel" in the coming weeks. We will provide additional details on The Juan Gabriel Facebook page as these events are finalized.

Thank you again for helping us through these difficult times.

We have shared our father with the public our whole life. We just ask that we are given this time to mourn our tremendous loss and we thank you for respecting our family's privacy during this time."

----------------------------

Hundreds of people filled Mexico City's Plaza Garibaldi on Monday in memory of cherished Mexican singer Juan Gabriel, who passed away Sunday at the age of 66. The body of the iconic singer arrived to Mexico City on Monday night flown in from California and according to reports a public funeral service could be held in Ciudad Juarez (the city where Gabriel launched his career) as soon as Thursday, September 1st, although family members and representatives have not confirmed their specific plans as of yet.

Locals and tourists decorated Gabriel's statue with candles and flowers. Mariachis in traditional charro garb buoyed a somber tone throughout the night, playing many of Gabriel's well-known hits like "Hasta Que Te Conoci" ("Until I Met You") and "Amor Eterno" ("Eternal Love").

It was a remembrance and celebration of "The Divo of Juárez," the Mexican icon who earned six Grammy award nominations, received a star in Hollywood's Walk of Fame 14 years ago, and sold over 100 million albums over a 40-plus year career. All while purposely avoiding the mainstream crossover success acts like Enrique Iglesias thrive on.

Gabriel's ballads became anthems. The high of peppy songs equaled the low of heartbreaking hymns. His flamboyant attire - often sequin-covered jackets and vibrant silk outfits - synchronized with one-man dance routines, which had Gabriel dancing or jumping around on stage.

"With his romantic lyrics, passionate performances and signature style, Juan Gabriel captivated audiences and inspired countless young musicians," read a White House press release. "He was one of the greats of Latin music - and his spirit will live on in his enduring songs, and in the hearts of the fans who love him."

How Gabriel Got His Name

Gabriel's youth has an El Chavo-like backstory in that he orphaned at an early age.

He was born Alberto Aguilera Valadez, the son of farmer Gabriel Aguilera Rodriguez and housewife Victoria Valadez Ojas. The couple made a home with their 10 children in the tropical municipal city of Parácuaro, Michoacán, though Rodriguez died in a fire shortly after his infant son's birth.

Gabriel's surname is homage to his father.

As he told L.A. Times reporter Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez in 1999, Gabriel's mother placed him in an orphanage when he was four years old. She took a job in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, but it was not enough to feed the growing family.

"You don't know the word for 'abandon' at that age," Gabriel said. "But you know what is happening. You know you want to be with your mother, and she is not there."

Gabriel would later say he wrote "Eternal Love" about his mother, who died in 1974. "La Muerte del Palomo," another of Gabriel's hit, was for his father.

He spent about eight years awaiting foster care, seeing his mother once a year, before surrogate parents the orphanage's director Micaela Alvarado and teacher Juan Contreras adopted Gabriel. His new first name, "Juan," is dedicated to Contreras.

The Family Man

In Mexico, a staunchly Catholic country that is still warming to alternative lifestyles, Gabriel's outgoing persona was an outlier from social norms.

He was beloved amid speculation that he was gay. In the few interviews he gave, Gabriel seldom talked about relationships, or his private life. Former personal secretary Joaquin Munoz claimed they had a homosexual relationship at one point, in his book "Juan Gabriel and I," but Gabriel never admitter or refuted the claim.

"I'm not married; I don't ever plan to marry. I'm happy single," Gabriel is quoted as saying in his biography, per the Associated Press. "I have many loves but the most important are: my mother, my children, my sister, my brothers, my nieces and nephews and my songs."

According to his publicist, each of Gabriel's four children was conceived through artificial insemination with longtime friend Laura Salas.

Speaking with Univision personality Raul De Molina on Monday, Salas clarified that her children - all in their mid-20s - are fathered by Gabriel. "No one expected his death," she said.

The family released a statement Sunday calling Gabriel "a giant in the music industry."

"My father's untimely passing is a tragic loss for all of us, his family colleagues, and fans alike," saod Gabriel's son, Ivan. "We give heartfelt thanks for the outpouring of condolences we have received from around the world including from President Enrique Pena Nieto.

He added, "We know that our father will miss entertaining his countless fans, who brought him tremendous joy in life."