In an interview with local news outlets, the bereaved widow Mariela shared her heartache, saying, “My dear friends, I never thought I would be writing this post.
I was never prepared for this moment, as I always held onto the belief that Regis would fully recover. The pain is beyond words. The earth feels like it has cracked open, and I’m left wondering what life will be like without his affection, companionship, and unwavering love.” According to Mariela, her husband succumbed to the same illness that claimed the lives of their three children.
Seven years ago, the 53-year-old father and his three children were informed that they all carried Li-Fraumeni syndrome or LFS. Earlier this year, he received a diagnosis of multiple myeloma, a type of cancer affecting white blood cells.
After eight months, he passed away, leaving behind his wife Mariela, who described the pain as “indescribable” and expressed her firm belief that he would conquer the disease. Their youngest daughter, 10-year-old Beatriz, tragically passed away in 2018, while their son Pedro lost his battle in 2020 due to a brain tumor.
Their eldest child, Anna, who was 25 years old, also fell victim to a brain tumor in 2022 and passed away. At the time of her diagnosis the previous year, Anna was engaged and had just earned her medical degree, with aspirations to specialize in dermatology, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Medical experts note that individuals with LFS are at a higher risk of developing cancers in bones, muscles, and connective tissues, as well as breast cancer, brain tumors, leukemia, and adrenal gland cancer. Reports reveal that cancer first struck the family many years ago when Anna, then 12, was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia.
She underwent a challenging three-year journey of radiotherapy and chemotherapy before ultimately being declared cancer-free. When Regis received his similar blood cancer diagnosis in 2016 after experiencing symptoms like fever, neck swelling, and muscle weakness, he became deeply concerned.
That same year, their son Pedro was also diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer, in his left leg. Mariela conveyed that her husband never felt blamed by their children for their shared health struggles; instead, they saw him as much a victim as they were. Following the identification of the genetic condition, the family adopted a routine of regular medical checkups.
