Pleasure. relief. Peace.

That’s what Raymond Arrieta remains after walking 1,079 miles over the past 15 years to help cancer patients treated at the Rio Piedras Medical Center Cancer Hospital.

It was a commitment that began at the age of 44 and ended at the age of 58, but with the same enthusiasm to come and deliver the money that will be used, above all, to ensure the availability of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Seeing the results of donations in the structure of the hospital, he said, is a source of great satisfaction in this commitment, which began this time in Ponce and ends this afternoon in San Juan.

“Certainly the change at the hospital has been incredible and the change continues. A lot of millions doesn’t affect how expensive the treatment is, but it helps somewhat to complete projects there, like the Imaging and Rehabilitation Center, which wasn’t there, and they showed me when there was nothing, “Here we want to do this.” and the fact of the matter is that it was done,” he said shortly before exiting the PR-1 highway toward Hiram Beethorne Stadium.

What he has experienced in the last 15 years will be with him for the rest of his life.

“I never thought it would become something this big because it’s only been a year and we’re still there; but for me, I feel that I will have peace because I have helped many people,” he affirmed. “I did it, I did it.”

Among so many memories, he remembered a girl who once asked for his signature to take to her sick mother in the hospital. The next day he came back with a sign saying, “Mom, I’m late, but I’m here,” because when he got back to the hospital, the mother was dead.

From this experience, he has learned to take preventive care of his health, and when he enjoys the five-day vacation that he will take at the end of the walk, he will undergo the necessary medical examinations.

Before the start of this latest edition of the “Da Vida” walk, the TV presenter joined the team of producers and volunteers to thank them for their support in their dedication to patients. Then they prayed together “Our Father” and after a joint cry “Give life” began to walk.

On this route, he is accompanied by singers Luis Fonsi and Melina Leon, as well as artist Alexandra Fuentes. Luis Fonsi left for the second time. He shared that this city event has always excited him and he did not want to miss this closure. In her case, she was following her “Titi Marie,” among many others who have been touched by cancer.

As soon as the group of pedestrians left the police association in the direction of PR-1, horns blared and expressions of appreciation were heard.

“Thank you, Raymond,” they shouted to him.

Arrieta announced that in addition to the city festival that will be the walk, he is already planning an event for the boys and girls who are patients next Christmas.

Get to Hiram

Ten minutes after 7:00 p.m., Raymond and a group of walkers arrived at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Hato Rey, where Telemundo was broadcasting a special edition of the program starting at 6:00 p.m. Day after daywhich began with an emotional video about what this day was like, full of solidarity, faith and hope, which included many donations and the unity of the people.

This was the latest chapter in this cycle of giving that the animator led and through which he raised more than $15,000,000 for the Dr. Isaac Gonzalez Martinez Cancer Hospital.

Cheered on by the people, volunteers and team who have always supported him, who he hugged and spoke to briefly, he made his way to the stadium parking lot.

As the crowd chanted “Raymond, I’m coming to you,” Arrieta took the stage to hug his teammates.

“Fifteen years!” she exclaimed, not holding back her tears. “Fifteen years of the oncology hospital, as promised, we arrived and we are here. Thanks to people for their love, for all these years; for my volunteers, employees, assistants; Telemundo, my channel; my family Day after day, my Telemundo technicians, my brothers; firefighters, police, EMS, emergency management, stilt workers, thank you all from the bottom of my heart, because without them I would not have gotten here. All the time they monitored my health, my pain… Sometimes I wanted to stop, my mind said no, but my heart said, believe me, you have to continue. Here we are, as promised. To my family, thank you for allowing me to do this again,” were his first words before the public, drowning in tears.

Although he says goodbye to walks, he emphasized that he will not forget the oncology hospital, which he will help in another way.

“To Pedro Alicia, who is in heaven, he walked with me for 14 years, and in this he followed us on the way from heaven,” he said, referring to who, after many years running the program that promotes Telemundo, died of cancer May 14.

After expressing his emotions yesterday and admitting it was the hottest ride he’s ever had, marking the tarmac at around 145 degrees, he thanked everyone for carrying him.

“It’s time to celebrate and bring good news to the oncologist. Now is the time to receive donations. This is not the end of help, this is a cycle of walks, but our help continues. Blessings, I love you so much and for helping me get this far, family,” he said before giving his classmates a group hug. Day after daywhich includes Dagmar Rivera, LJD, Gil Lopez, Victor Santiago, Millie Mendes, Luis Enrique Falu and Chef Noelian Ortiz.

From the very beginning, the Plenéalo band entertained the audience and those gathered in the stadium. The city party, which lasted until 9:00 p.m., also included a presentation by Manny Manuel.

Almost at the end of the program, and accompanied by the entire cast Day after dayRaymond announced that the preliminary figure for this year’s fees, excluding all street and call fees, is $1,325,000.

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