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‘It’s 100 Percent God’: Texas Man with Brain Tumor Given Two Months to Live Still Alive Six Years Later

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Israel Lemus is a walking miracle — a medical mystery his doctors can’t quite understand.

Six years ago, he was diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma — the same aggressive form of brain cancer that took the late Sen. John McCain’s life in the summer of 2018. At the time, Lemus was given a mere two months to live.

Since then, he’s gotten engaged, married, purchased a home, and changed careers, according to KHOU-TV.

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“To me, it’s 100% God,” Lemus told the news outlet. “Honestly, I’m thankful to God for every day. The first thing I do when I wake up and the last thing I do before going to sleep is thank God for that day.”

Lemus, who was diagnosed at age 29, said he doesn’t even feel sick.

“The scans may show different and the doctors may say different, but in my mind, I’m in remission,” he explained, noting the “typical prognosis is 14-24 months.”

In the time since his diagnosis, the Houston native has undergone three surgeries and every kind of cancer treatment available. Dr. Jay-Jiguang Zhu, Lemus’ oncologist at UTHealth Houston and Memorial Hermann, said there is no known cure for his late-stage glioblastoma, which first presented itself with a golfball-sized tumor in his brain.

He said the fact that Lemus is still alive — and healthy, aside from the cancer — is “a miracle.”

“We can see the disease on his MRI; that’s why we don’t use the word ‘remission,'” the doctor said, noting it’s a mystery as to why and how his patient has stayed alive for so long.

Lemus’ wife, Samantha, describes her husband as “my miracle” — an incredible story of survival they both credit to the Lord.

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About The Author

Tré Goins-Phillips Headshot
Tré
Goins-Phillips

Tré Goins-Phillips serves as a host and content creator for CBN News. He hosts the weekly “Faith vs. Culture” show and co-hosts “Quick Start,” a news podcast released every weekday morning. Born and raised in Virginia, Tré now lives along the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he has built his career, often traveling to meet and interview fascinating cultural influencers and entertainers. After working with brands like TheBlaze and Independent Journal Review, Tré began his career at CBN News in 2018 and has a particular passion for bridging the chasm between the secular world and the church