La Virgen de Guadalupe Saved My Life!

The Miraculous Cure of Rodolfo "El Gato" Gonzalez, former

Lightweight Champion of The World, of Cancer

by Daniel L. Muñoz
La Prensa San Diego
Originally published in La Prensa San Diego.

"Fifty four years ago, in a small ranch, owned by Grandfather Gonzalez, near Tepatitlán, nestled high in the valleys of Los Altos de Jalisco, a son was born to Florencio and Maria Luz Gonzalez. The date was December 16, 1945." As was the religious custom, the man-child was immediately baptized in the small Chapel: "La Capilla de La Virgen de Guadalupe." At the moment, these events did not carry particular significance.

The Growth and Formation of a Future Champion

(Rodolfo sat across from my desk and narrated, in a soft and quivering voice, the ordeal of the forging of his life.)

"The family lived at the Ranchito for four or five years, while my father attempted to wrest a living from the land. It soon became evident that they could not survive. The family pulled up stakes and moved to Guadalajara. My father thought work would be available. Unfortunately, life was difficult there too and the family kept moving from Guadalajara to Mexico City working a little here and a little there. Young as I was, I also tried to get odd jobs to help our family survive. Because of that, I never was in one place long enough to go to school.

"At age 14, I became attracted to La Fiesta Brava and decided, in my innocence that I too could be a torero. To become one you had to go to La Capital, Mexico City. I wanted to be a bullfighter but first I had to become a novillero. I was small in size and didn't really have anyone to teach me how to torear (bullfight). Finally, I was given the opportunity to try my skills with a live toro. Though the bull was small, he was not a manso! He was a toro bravo! I entered the bull ring and attempted to make a few passes with the cape.. It was a short-lived experience. The bull picked me up with his horns, flipped me up in the air. When I came down I landed on the sand on my back. The bull dropped his head and gored me in the liver and broke my ribs. At the infirmary the attending medico patched me up and cautioned me that the liver was in bad condition and would later probably cause me problems. Little did I realize that the goring and later infections would lay the basis for my battle with cancer.

Gonzalez Changes From One Ring to Another

"It was not until a cousin of mine, Jose Becerra, who in 1960 won the Bantam Weight Championship Crown of the world, came to Guadalajara. My life begin to change from that moment on. I talked to him and told him that I wanted to be a boxer just like him. He smiled at me. But, he encouraged me and helped me to get started.

"A month later, in Guadalajara, I had my first fight. In the first round I landed a lucky punch and knocked out my opponent... It was pure luck because I didn't know what I was doing. From that moment on, I knew I would become a boxer... I went on to fight 55 matches and won 50 by knockouts! Many of my fights were against ranked fighters from Mexico in the Featherweight division... Eventually I would fight at the Los Angeles Olympic Stadium against the 1^st ranked Featherweight fighter in the world, Licho Guerro, from Tijuana.

"Prior to coming to Los Angeles my liver became inflamed. I was in pain all across my mid-section. The pain subsided a little and I decided to go ahead with the fight. As a consequence, I suffered my first loss. It was my first TKO. "It was after that fight that Gonzalez realized that the real battle of his life had begun. I felt pain all over my midrib area, my liver, stomach and kidneys were hurting. I was sore inside and out. I could not continue." Rudolfo Gonzales, who had been a fighter all his short life, suddenly confronted an enemy he could not beat to submission. In 1973, at age 27, he was felled by Cancer!

The Ordeal Begins

"My doctors made a thorough examination and discovered a large tumor in my liver. It was cancerous and was spreading to my stomach, kidneys, chest, and heart. The large doses of morphine, and other drugs, had little effect on me. The cancer was out of control. The doctors informed me it was to late to operate. I tried curanderos and home cures, herbs and such things, but they didn't work either. Finally in desperation, I went to see one more doctor, who practiced in Las Vegas. My friends thought he might be able to help me. After putting me through another round of exhaustive examinations, he delivered my death sentence: He give me two months to live.

"With my body ravaged by cancer and knowing the end was near, I packed my bags and headed for Tijuana to be with my Mother in my final days. My Father was not with us any longer, he had died in 1960 at the age of 37. I boarded the bus to Tijuana. As I sat in the dim light within the bus, I felt very sad and the tears flowed down my cheeks. The people around me stared. They didn't know what was wrong with me. The desert sands and fields reflected on the window as we speed down the highway and I knew that would be the last time that I would ever see them again.

"That night when I arrived convinced that I was going to die, I went to bed and prayed that the end would come fast. I did not want to subject my family to any further suffering. That night La Virgen de Guadalupe came to me in the midst of my pain and suffering. She was within a white cloud illuminated by a soft light. I heard her voice. She told me: "I know what you are suffering (Se lo que sufres). Come to my Church, the Cathedral en Tijuana." The next morning, I arose in deep pain, picked up my cane, and made my way to the Church. It took me a long while to arrive. The Church was empty of people. I walked slowly down the center isle to where the Altar in honor of La Virgen was at. Gasping for air, I kneeled and prayed to her... "I am here as you asked. Do with me as you wish. I stayed kneeling with my eyes closed and prayed to her. After a while, I opened my eyes and asked for her blessing... After what seemed a short while, I began to feel a warm sensation emitting from La Virgen and flowing through my body... I looked into the eyes of the Virgen and felt such a beautiful sensation that cannot be explained in words. It was a warming sensation. I began to feel my pain diminishing and I could began to breath again... With tears in my eyes I thanked her... I said "I will return to see you again." I was filled with happiness. I didn't know what had happened but I felt better, my heart did not hurt, I could breath, and my pains were subsiding. I arrived home to find my Mother in tears... "Don't cry Mother," I said, "The Virgen is going to cure me. I will be all right."

Four months later Rodolfo Gonzales was pain free and free of Cancer!

"El Gato Becomes A Champ

After four months recuperating and regaining his health, Gonzalez felt well enough to return to the ring. He left his Mother side once again and went to visit his savior, La Virgen de Guadalupe." I promised my Madrecita and La Virgen that I would return as Champion in their honor. He returned to Los Angeles and met with his Manager Bill Gilbreath from Long Beach. He told me it would not be possible to fight again unless he received a medical clearance.

"I went back to see all the doctors that had been treating me before. They again examined me. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. I had no cancer! They said it was a miracle that I was alive!. They had no medical reasons or explanations for my miraculous cure." Rodolfo, El Gato was given medical clearance to resume his boxing career.

His first bout was held in Long Beach, California. Now, however he was fighting as a lightweight. "It was not easy for me to fight at 135 pounds. I was a little heavier. I now weight 147 pounds." El Gato began to fight in the Lightweight Class. He entered the ring with the deep seated conviction that he had in his corner the most powerful force in the world, La Virgen de Guadalupe!

Not only had El Gato gained weight but he also gained a new co-manager; Danny Villanueva, who was with the Dallas Cowboys as their place kicker at the time. With his managers help and the Virgen in his corner, Rodolfo "El Gato" Gonzalez won 14 straight fights. He was back and he was ready. After thee years with Villa-nueva and Gilbreath, El Gato signed up with Jack McCoy, who had professionally managed fighters in the Lightweight Division.

In the first year with McCoy, "El Gato" fought for the Lightweight Championship of the World against Erubey "Chango" Carmona, from South Africa and defeated him in 1972. He remained the Champion until 1975 when he retired.

In all he had 88 professional fights and won 70 by knock outs. He lost six fights in his entire boxing career. In March of 1977, he was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame.

El Gato Pays Homage To La Virgen

"Two years after I had won the World Championship, I received the Championship belt. It was a majestic belt made of silver and gold and studded with rubies. I returned to Tijuana and without fan fare I walked back into the Cathedral of La Virgen de Guadalupe. There in the silence of the church I once again felt the love and power of La Virgen. I slowly walked to her alter raised my belt to her and delivered a heartfelt prayer of thankfulness for having saved my life from cancer. "Sin Ella no fuera el campeón." (Without her I could not have won the Championship). I laid the Championship belt at her feet and dedicated it to her. She had given me life and her blessings. I dedicated the belt to La Virgen de Guadalupe. Two years later, the Bishop of Tijuana, Carlos Berlie Belanzarain took the belt and made a pilgrimage to Mexico City to the Shrine dedicated to La Virgen de Guadalupe, built after her appearance to Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac in December of 1531. The Bishop draped the belt above her head where the whole world could see her testament of her love for the Mexican people.

EPILOGUE

Ramon "El Gato Gonzalez retired in 1975 from boxing. By chance, he lucked out and was offered a principal part in a television show as a boxer. This happened while he was on vacation in Hawaii. The name of the show: Hawaii Five-0. The exposure on this program led to other parts in Manix, Starsky and Hutch, Barnaby Jones, High Chaparral among others. He was also featured on the big screen in B.J. Hammer, Lipstick, The Wet Backs, Commercials, and numerous movies and television programs made in Mexico.

Twenty years after the miracle by the Virgen de Guadalupe, Rodolfo Gonza-lez has received the opportunity to honor his patroness La Virgen. Zebra productions is doing a movie on his life titled "EL GATO". It is being produced by Michael Murphy who will be filming in Gua-dalajara, his home town, Tijuana and Los Angeles. A major studio is involved in the effort.

(Rudy, AKA Rodolfo has been a resident of Oceanside since 1992.)

(The events spoken of in this narration were as related to the writer during a series of interviews during the month of JULY 1999)

Other articles republished from La Prensa San Diego