Luis Manuel Gómez Torres, a 37-year-old Cuban whose heartfelt plea from a Miami hospital bed moved millions, has passed away after a tough battle with leukemia. This was confirmed by Vivian Paz Paz on Facebook, who had been closely involved in publicizing his case in recent days.
Paz shared the somber news with a funeral notice and the message: "With deep sorrow, Luisi, as we affectionately called him, has left our earthly world. Rest in Peace, we will miss you."
Originally from Ciego de Ávila, Luis Manuel was diagnosed with leukemia in December 2024.
His story gained widespread attention on social media after a video surfaced on Thursday from his hospital room, where he implored U.S. immigration authorities to allow his mother to travel from Cuba to be by his side.
"I am asking for mercy to have her here. I am in very bad shape, I beg you, I plead with you to let me have the chance to see her, since I don't know what will happen with my life, as this is a very serious disease," Luis Manuel stated in the video.
In his final hours, Vivian Paz Paz visited Luis Manuel in the hospital, noting that he could only sip beef broth and was "very delicate and retaining fluid," while expressing his deep longing to have his mother with him during this difficult time.
Journalist Guillermo Rodríguez Sánchez described the illness as a "sudden and aggressive leukemia," which rapidly deteriorates all vital bodily functions in otherwise young and healthy individuals.
Luis Manuel had expressed a wish to be transported back to Cuba to die in his homeland, but this was deemed medically unfeasible. According to Rodríguez Sánchez, "He cannot board a plane in such a condition—it is impractical as he would not survive the altitude—and from a medical legality standpoint, such a request is inadmissible."
The only available immigration route for his mother was the individual humanitarian parole through Form I-131, which is entirely at the discretion of the authorities.
The CHNV program, which had allowed Cubans to legally travel to the U.S. through a sponsor-based parole, was terminated by the Trump administration in January 2025, cutting off a path many families in similar situations had used.
Activists called upon Cuban-American congress members María Elvira Salazar, Carlos A. Giménez, and Mario Díaz-Balart to intervene, arguing, "He is not asking for money, luxuries, or privileges. He is asking for something no child should have to beg for: his mother's embrace when he needs it most."
It remains unclear whether Luis Manuel's mother was granted authorization to reunite with her son before his passing.
Luis Manuel leaves behind his wife, parents, and three children: a pair of six-year-old twin boys and a daughter.
His tragic story adds to a painful list of similar cases.
Questions About Luis Manuel Gómez Torres' Case and Immigration Policies
What was Luis Manuel Gómez Torres' illness?
Luis Manuel was diagnosed with leukemia, specifically described by a journalist as a sudden and aggressive form that rapidly affects young and healthy individuals.
Why couldn't Luis Manuel be transported back to Cuba?
Medical professionals deemed it unfeasible due to his critical condition, stating he would not survive the altitude during a flight, making such a request inadmissible.
What immigration options were available for Luis Manuel's mother?
The only option was an individual humanitarian parole through Form I-131, which is subject to discretionary approval by the authorities.
Did Luis Manuel's mother manage to reunite with her son before he died?
It was not publicly disclosed whether she was able to reunite with him before his death.