Singing Pastor Fights 'Miracle' Battle With Oral Cancer

CHICAGO, IL — Chicago Pastor Hector Nunez has been singing for audiences since he was 6 years old. His mom and dad brought him to Chicago from Puerto Rico when he was a baby, but the family returned to their home territory for a few years so their children could learn to speak and read Spanish. Nunez said he has happy memories of singing in Puerto Rico as a child.

"My mother comes from a musical family, as well as my dad, and they used to put me up in front, and my uncles used to play guitar to accompany me singing," Nunez said, smiling.

After his family moved back to Chicago, Nunez continued his singing career. He joined the Marine Corps and served in Vietnam from 1972 to 1976, but continued following his passion for singing when he returned to Chicago.

Throughout his life, he's performed at countless venues across the city. His salsa band, Orquestra Yambo, has performed at Jazz Fest, Taste of Chicago, The Aragon Ballroom, Riviera Theatre and Latin clubs. The group also traveled to Minneapolis, where their performance caught the attention of Prince, who gave them access to a recording studio to work on their music. Nunez also joined top musicians from Chicago salsa bands to perform as the “Chicago All Stars” in Puerto Rico.

His spirituality grew over the years and he decided to become a pastor. He would often sing for his congregation at his little church, Iglesia Casa De Fe, in the Belmont Central neighborhood on Chicago's West Side.

In 2015, after noticing a growing lump on his tongue, Nunez went to a specialist. He was diagnosed with stage IV squamous cell tongue cancer, and was told that he would likely lose his tongue and never be able to sing or speak again.

"When he gave me the news, I actually broke down like a baby," Nunez said. "It was the last thing I was expecting, since I had to bury my dad two and a half months prior to that."

He and his wife began researching other cancer treatment centers for a second opinion.

"I just wanted the opportunity to live for a few more years and spend time with my wife, my kids and my grandkids," he said.

He decided to call Cancer Treatment Centers of America in suburban Zion, Ill., and spoke with a representative at the center.

"We spoke for two and a half hours, and this man gave me a reason to live," Nunez said.

He decided to undergo a long, complicated surgery at the facility to remove four lymph nodes, along with a four-centimeter tumor on his tongue. Before the surgery, he said goodbye to his family — there was a chance he would never be able to speak to them again.

"I was scared," he said. "The surgery was supposed to be 10 hours — it took 13 hours."

The surgery involved reconstructing his tongue with tissue from his stomach and arm. After the surgery, he couldn't talk or eat.

He also underwent chemotherapy and 30 treatments of radiation. He grew sick, his weight plummeted and the radiation caused wounds on his body.

"I was a Marine — I was a pretty tough guy," he said. "And to see bones popping out and my face shrunken in, I was scared."

He said he would frequently get down on his knees and pray to God to give him six more months to be with his wife, kids and grandkids.

But then Nunez started to get better, and grow stronger. His voice started to come back. He couldn't roll his r's, but that wasn't noticeable when he sung.

"After a year and a half, I started to put my vocal chords to work — in the shower," Nunez said, laughing.

In 2017, he sang on Mother's Day in his church for the first time.

"To be able to sing again, is the best gift that God could give me," he said.

His wife, Evelyn Nunez, said she and their family were overjoyed. She called his rehabilitation a "miracle."

"He's singing, talking, preaching — normally, as if nothing happened to him," she said.

This year on Mother's Day, he dedicated a special church performance to his wife and to his mother, who passed away when he was younger. He handed out roses to every woman in the church.

During the performance, he told his congregation that "life is not guaranteed." He reminded them that every day is a gift.

Video filmed & edited by Amber Fisher