GoFundMe for José Manuel Robles

Help Us Honor Manuel’s Final Wish — To Rest Beside His Mother in Mexico

Hello, my name is Marisol, and the purpose of this GoFundMe is to kindly ask for your help in granting my uncle his last wish and also to raise awareness of the painful obstacles immigrants must face and the uncertainty they experience in this country when dealing with health challenges.

We are raising funds for my kind, gentle, and sweet uncle, José Robles, better known as Meño by his very small and loving family.

José was one of the most hardworking men I have ever met in my life. He was an honest and loving man, and although he never married or had children of his own, he had plenty of love to offer me and my sister—his nieces, the only child-like figures in his life.

In June of this year, he was admitted to the ER for abdominal discomfort that led to the discovery of stage-4 colon cancer with metastases to the liver. He experienced a terrible decline in the past months, which doctors explained was beyond their capabilities to treat due to the rapid deterioration of his overall health. Chemotherapy was not an option at this point. The saddest part of this is that he was 70 years old and continued to work a full-time job right up until his diagnosis because he was very self-sufficient and wanted to keep earning income. He knew retirement was not an option due to his immigration status. He worked for 45 years in the United States and consistently paid taxes, but somehow, at the very end, none of that seems to matter. He has been given very little medical coverage, and most expenses have come out of pocket for me and our family. This is not something anyone ever prepares for, but somehow, some way, we have found a way to provide as much as we can to make sure he is comfortable and free from suffering. Still, as we face the most difficult time—the end of life—we are encountering expenses far beyond what a small family like ours can manage. Most of his family is in Mexico, and José and his two brothers were the only ones who came to the United States, so we are all he has here.

While having the most painful conversation with him, I asked what his wishes would be after his passing. He said he would love to be reunited with his mother and father and be buried beside them in his beautiful hometown, Ixtlán del Río, Nayarit. I would love to honor his last wish, but between medical costs and all other expenses, I fear being unable to do so without placing a terrible hardship on my family’s well-being—especially on his two brothers, who will now need assistance with their bills since José will no longer be able to help them. They were always very united and lived together for most of their lives since arriving in the U.S.

As life often reminds us, death is the only certainty. I would be eternally grateful if you helped us honor his last wish. On Monday morning, we were told he has 2–4 weeks left on this earth, and for the remainder of this time, we will cherish every moment with him, because that is all we can ever truly do—cherish the time we are given.

Due to José’s immigration status, he endured the loss of both of his parents in Mexico without being able to see them one last time, because he could not leave the country. He was unable to return to Mexico, and this saddened his heart deeply. We would be incredibly grateful if you helped us fulfill his wish and allow him to be buried next to his mother. He lived with deep sorrow and pain in his heart, missing them every single day of his life since leaving his hometown.

This GoFundMe has one purpose:

To honor José’s final wish.

Every donation will go toward:

Funeral costs

Transportation to return José to Mexico

Required documents and travel arrangements

We are not asking for anything for ourselves—only for help to honor his final wish.

If you cannot donate, please share this page — it truly helps.

From our family to yours, thank you for your kindness, support, and compassion during this extremely heartbreaking time in our lives.