Hundreds of Juarez-Lincoln Elementary students gave the most heartwarming welcome to Peter Martinez, a 10–year-old student at the school who has twice beat cancer. Peter’s big motivation for getting better was to get back to his dearly loved class and friends.
“Thank you,” he said as the students lined the hallways carrying signs and noisemakers. Children cheered, applauded and chanted, “Peter! Peter!”
“Today was a day of triumph, today was of overcoming, today was a day of faith finally realized with Peter coming back after two years of fighting cancer,” said Juarez-Lincoln Elementary Principal Roberto Ortiz. It hit the school hard when Peter first left to combat medulloblastoma, brain cancer.
“To see him here smiling, happy and back with his classmates, in the class where he belongs and in the school where he belongs … it’s a focus on triumph, resiliency and the human spirit and to see a little boy having to go through that and overcoming that is a miracle,” Ortiz said.
His mother, Eluiza Martinez, wanted to especially thank the school.
“They have been there since the beginning and have supported us along the way. They provided homebound classes and have been very attentive to him. I don’t know how to repay them,” said Mrs. Martinez, who participated in the parade with her husband, Jose Antonio Martinez, and their three other children.
Mrs. Martinez said that two years ago Peter developed searing painful headaches. Over a three-week period, they took him to the emergency room several times but nurses there told her that he had Covid. She said that she is normally not the type to fight, but she fought hard for Peter and secured the medical care he needed.
Today, Peter is cancer-free.
“It’s a miracle,” she said, hugging her son. “To any parents in a similar situation, I would tell them to fight as hard as they can and be faithful to God.”
She and her family also reached out to Smiles from Heaven, and on Monday the organization’s founders Ray and Betsy Sanchez were there to watch Peter’s face light up with joy as he saw his old classmates and teacher Leah Luna.
“We’ve known Peter for quite some time,” said Betsy Sanchez. “His parents reached out when he was diagnosed and one of the things we do with Smiles from Heaven is support traveling. Peter had to do a lot of traveling, and we provided assistance to his family. We are so happy that Peter allowed us to be part of his journey.”
Ray Sanchez said, “Seeing all the energy, love and support for Peter was amazing. We will continue to fight alongside Peter. We will assist him in any way possible. We love him so much, just like all the children we serve. We are grateful he is back here fighting and back in school.”
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