In this world, there is no greater sorrow for parents than losing their child. In 2020, life took a heartbreaking turn for Camilo Villеgas when he revealed the devastating news that his 22-month-old daughter was battling brain cancer and subsequently losing her in July.

Rеcalling those tough times, Villеgas shared the emotional rollercoaster of spending five months at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Each attempt to go home for a few days faced unexpected setbacks. Accеpting this grim reality was tough, but witnessing his daughter’s resilience, his wife’s strength and the love they shared gave him a unique fighting spirit.

Camilo Villegas opens up about his family’s battle with brain cancer.

Recently, the 41-year-old golfer sat down with the team of On the Mark Golf Podcast and shared the ‘tough battle’ he had to fight in 2020. On July 26, 2020, Villegas and wife Maria’s 22-month-old daughter Mia died following a four-month battle with tumors on the brain and spine.

While talking about that phase, he said, “Yeah, 2020 was tough. I mean, that’s an understatement, then losing your daughter or getting the news that she has brain cancer.” Talking about the support he received from his loved ones back then, he said, “Seeing the energy and support from everybody was unbelievable. And, again, you got to accept what you’re going through.”

The reality of the situation struck the golfer hard, and he found it “tough” and “very, very hard to accept” that he was in that situation. He opened up about the resilience that his late daughter and wife showed during those difficult times. “But to see her battle to see my wife just can handle the situation that way. She was handling to see the love and energy we were receiving was, was special,” said Villegas. 

The Colombian found comfort in returning to the golf course for a Korn Ferry Tour event while Mia was still alive. The warmth and reception he received, along with the opportunity to share their story, ignited a sense of purpose. Golf, he realized, was more than a game; it was his family, and it gave him the strength to face life’s challenges.

Mia’s Miracle Foundation

After the loss of his baby, the 5x PGAT winner and his wife Maria decided to set up a non-profit organization in memory of their beloved daughter. The couple found ‘Mia’s Miraclеs’ to offer financial and emotional support to families dealing with the illnesses of their children. However, establishing the foundation was also not easy for the couple to set up the foundation, as they had some challenging moments in their relationship.

Also read: What Is the Jack Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation? Exploring the Golden Bear’s Larger Than Life Cause

What posed a challenge was they both were grieving differently. Things got “interesting, and tough” for the couple, but they continued to battle to birth the foundation in the memory of their daughter. The pain of such a tragedy was unimaginable for Villegas and his family, but that didn’t stop Villegas from moving forward. Mia’s memory pushed him forward. This year in November, moments after scoring his first PGA Tour victory at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship since the 2014 Wyndham Championship, Villegas looked at the sky and got emotional.

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