Palmview family holding together while patriarch battles colon cancer

2 weeks ago 58

PALMVIEW — Gloria Martinez stops by their small apartment to make something to eat for her family.

Her children are all arriving home around the same time, and she hurries to feed them and get back to the hospital to be by her husband’s side.

The mother of four has had to split her precious time between their home, with her children, and at the hospital with her husband Jose Zuniga, who is struggling with stage 4 colon cancer. A hectic schedule is the new norm for Gloria, who has been by Zuniga’s side as much as she can.

But on Wednesday, she’s in even more of a rush than usual. She is expecting to talk to the doctors about her husband’s condition. Hoping to hear good news after months of the cancer worsening, all she can do is hope and pray.

“It’s very hard, because I want to take care of my children but I also need to take care of him,” she said, trying to hold back tears. “It’s complicated. I would have never imagined something like this would happen to us. We were doing good and suddenly he got a diagnosis.”

Zuniga was the primary breadwinner of the family, working in construction and landscaping. That all changed when he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in February 2024.

His health rapidly declined since then, which resulted in Gloria losing her job to take care of her husband.

The family also includes Abraham, 20; Daniel, 19; Jazmin, 17; and Uriel, 11.

“No pasa nada Amá,” Daniel said, comforting his mother. “We’ll get out of this crisis one way or another.”

The two oldest sons stepped up financially, but with medical expenses, rent and other bills adding up, the family is struggling financially and mentally to cope with the sudden change.

“This stuff hits hard,” Daniel said. “It hits hard because we saw my pops living like 100% now we see him and we get sad … I had to work because somebody had to bring in some income.”

Daniel had plans to go to college right after high school, but with their circumstances he had to help his family financially right away.

“It hurts to see him like that,” he said. “Sometimes I get kinda depressed, but I try not to let depression get to me. I go do some work around the apartment to keep my mind busy or go outside to stop me from thinking like that … I’m too young for this, way too young.”

Daniel tries to look on the bright side. He said his aspirations can be put on hold.

“I have my mindset that as long as I’m helping my mom and my pops out, it doesn’t really matter. he said. “I’m still young, I can finish that stuff out later … it don’t matter, my mentality is on helping them both out … but whenever I have my chance or opportunity for a shot at college, I’ll take my shot.”

The mental struggles are also having an effect on the younger children.

With much of the stress and hardship placed on her older brothers and her mom, Jazmin said she feels sad knowing how much everyone is going through.

“I’m sad because (my dad) is the one that raised me,” Uriel said. “I’ve been with him my whole life.”

Everyone in the house has stepped up in some ways to help Gloria with one less worry, by doing chores or making food when she isn’t home.

Gloria said, with her husband going in and out of the hospital, the family could use medical equipment for the home such as a wheelchair, a shower chair, handicap equipment to install in the restroom and financial assistance for rent and bills.

The United Way of South Texas is collecting contributions for the family, which will receive 100% of all donations. You can help them by calling the United Way of South Texas at (956) 686-6331 and ask about the Spirit of Christmas campaign.

The post Palmview family holding together while patriarch battles colon cancer appeared first on MyRGV.com.

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