Lorenzo Hernandez is a fighter. From escaping an abusive household at 14 years old to serving in the Vietnam War as a young man in 1967, he’s been striving with one thing or another his whole life.

At 75 years old he began preparing himself for his next battle — prostate cancer.

“Through all of this I have just focused on the cross where God sacrificed for our sins,” Hernandez said. “God and my wife gave me the courage to fight.”

Ever since doctors diagnosed him with cancer in October 2024, Hernandez has been fighting. Just getting to his chemotherapy appointments has been an uphill battle.

For six weeks, Hernandez drove 150 miles a day, making the 75-mile trip from Fayette County to Victoria to get treatment at Citizens Medical Center. Hernandez estimates he drove about 750 miles a week and 7,000 miles total while undergoing treatment.

Between two tire blowouts, a couple of near-miss car accidents, taking a loan out from the bank to pay for treatment and Hernandez’s vision and hip issues, it seemed like getting to treatment was a battle in and of itself.

“I spent $35 a day on gas,” Hernandez said. “I considered just giving up after all the transportation issues we faced, but God gave me the power to keep going.”

But if having cancer has taught him one thing, it’s who his friends are. Friends like Jared and Miss Kay whom he said have been his guardian angels, helping him financially and aiding him with the power of prayer.

“Thirty years ago, I devoted my life to God,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez said he’s been a man from the moment he left his house at 14 full of hate with only two pockets filled to the brim with pecans. His whole life he has been a hardworking and independent, but now as he battles cancer, he knows he doesn’t have to fight alone.

By his side is his wife of 55 years, Lupe, who has shown him what it means to fight cancer and come out the other side stronger. Lupe is a breast-cancer survivor with a pacemaker and, despite struggling to walk at times, Hernandez said his wife climbs into the truck and rides right alongside him.

“We’re in this thing together, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health,” Hernandez said.

Beside his family and friends, Hernandez said the doctors and nurses at Citizens Medical Center kept him going during some of the darkest days of his treatment. From Dr. Matthew McCurdy, his radiation oncologist, and the devoted staff of nurses, Hernandez said he’s grateful for their care.

“They are so wonderful,” Hernandez said. “They made me want to keep going back and get treatment; they kept me from giving up.”

Unfortunately, cancer is something Hernandez has become familiar with. He’s lost his longtime friend and his 16-year-old daughter to cancer. He watched the disease ravage his wife. Despite his treatment ending in May and the ringing of the bell at Citizens Medical Center, Hernandez said it’ll be in God’s hand should the cancer spread.

“I’ll be in that better place one day, but for now, I’m here and I love my life,” Hernandez said.

In a few short weeks, Hernandez will find out if his treatment was successful and if his cancer has been cured. He’s taking each day one at a time, spending time with his family and waiting to see if his fight is over.

Madison O’Hara is a news reporter for the Victoria Advocate. She can be reached at madison.ohara@vicad.com.