'Joy With Jesus Will Be Forever': Surgery Can't Save Cuban Pastor's 14-Year-Old-Son
The viral story of a 14 year old boy from Cuba has been capturing the hearts of people around the world.
Emanuel Zayas died Friday following surgery to remove a large tumor from his face. Many were hoping and praying for the best.
He suffered from a rare condition called polyostotic fibrous dysplacia which caused a 10-pound tumor to grow on his face.
In 2013 his parents discovered a small lump on his face that never went away. That lump grew into a mass, which grew so large that it distorted his nose and mouth. Cuban doctors were unable to treat him.
The benign growth was so large that it pressed on Emanuel's trachea and threatened to suffocate him.
His parents Noel Zayas and Melvis Vizaino, evangelical pastors in Santa Clara, prayed for a miracle.
Despite incredible poverty, evangelical churches in Cuba are thriving and growing.
Missionaries from the humanitarian non-profit Reel Life International learned of Emanuel's condition after visiting his family's church in October.
The group posted images of prayers being offered for Emanuel on its Facebook page.
It was then able to connect the family with a doctor in Miami who had experience in the removal of large facial tumors.
Dr. Robert Marx, chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery for the University of Miami Health System, performed the surgery at not cost to Emanuel's parents.
He first learned of Emanuel's condition after missionaries from Reel Life presented him with pictures of the boy.
Emanuel's mother said in a press conference last month, "It is truly a miracle of God that his pictures ended in the hands of Dr. Marx." I am so grateful he was willing to take the case," she said.
"After long phone calls, many divine appointments, logistical solutions and a lot of people joining together, Emanuel was able to undergo surgery January 12," the Facebook post continued.
While the surgery was successful, Emanuel suffered complications and later died.
"I am saddened by the fact that we are losing him and that the physiological stress of the surgery was apparently too much for his compromised anatomy," said Dr. Marx, in a statement to the Miami Herald. "Our hopes of saving his life, and with that allowing him a better quality of life, were not realized."
On a Facebook page dedicated to Emanuel, a post reads, "I regret to report that our Little Champion Emanuel passed away earlier today."
"We are saddened and disappointed that Emanuel didn't receive the physical recovery we were hoping for however through the eyes of our faith, in our hearts, we truly believe and know without a doubt that Emanuel did indeed receive complete healing and that now he has a perfect, sweet face and two legs that work, and that he is running and jumping and having a great time in heaven right now...that he is in perfect peace and joy with Jesus and will be forever," the post continued.
Hundreds who had been praying for Emanuel responded with condolences.
"Rest in peace, that little angel!," wrote Roberto Felipe Lopez Alberto.
Maria Ines Abreu commented, "Lamenting a lot of his death but he is in a very quiet place resting with God and his angels."
