In 2020, Camilo Villegas daughter, Mia, lost her life due to tumors that had developed in her brain and spinal cord.
Now Camilo and his wife are still healing from that experience. There will always be the grief of losing a child, but the birth of their son, Mateo, is helping them.
Camilo Villegas Restrepo is a professional golfer who was born on January 7, 1982. His birthplace is MedellÃn, Colombia, but he currently resides in Gainesville, Florida.
Villegas is frequently compared to Spider-Man due to his unusual manner of scanning greens before putting.
He leans to the putting surface, stretching out his left leg while supporting himself on his right leg, chest, and head, practically touching the ground, from which he analyzes his putts.
He began playing golf as a kid. From the ages of 8 to 15, he won multiple National Junior Championships in the country.
At the age of 16, he became the first Colombian golfer in history to win the Amateur’s Grand Slam.
Villegas obtained an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he competed in NCAA competition.
Moreover, he joined the PGA Tour in 2004 and received his card just before the 2006 season.
Camilo Villegas Daughter Mia Passed Away Very Young. Meet His Son Mateo
On July 26, 2020, Camilo’s 22-month-old daughter passed away due to a brain tumor. It was around late February of that year when Camilo and his wife discovered some health issues with Mia.
Camilo becomes very emotional when talking about his late daughter. He recalls that they used to go to the gym together, and it was one of their bonding spots.
Camilo noticed that she had not been climbing on anything, which was unusual because she had always been like a little monkey, constantly climbing on things.
He also observed that she had been crying a little more than normal at night. They thought it might be due to teething, so they took her to the pediatrician.
Then, on March 14, 2020, the couple took Mia to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami for scans.
It was discovered that Mia had developed tumors developing in her brain and spinal cords.
The doctors had advised them to start treatment immediately. The treatment, as Villegas described it, was “baby chemotherapy.”
Each round of chemotherapy lasted for over a month. Villegas said that it wasn’t easy, but he had witnessed MÃa playing even while in tears.
“Even when going through all of this, she wanted to play because she was just a child—young and naive, yet remarkably resilient,” said Camilo.
Meet Their Son Mateo
The couple are blessed with another baby, this time a son whom they have named Mateo. He loves Spiderman and is often seen mingling with his father’s friends.
After more than a year of the passing of their daughter, Mateo was born on December 13, 2021, at 7:56 a.m., as per his mother’s Instagram. She says that Mateo is “The greatest gift of god.”
Camilo and Mateo dressed up as police officers this Halloween, while Maria was dressed as a robber.
Camilo and his wife have also established an awareness fund called “Mia’s Month of Miracles.”
This was created during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by raising funds in honor of Mia.
Who Is Camilo’s Wife Maria?
Maria is the loving wife and mother of Camilo’s children. Although she likes to keep her age a secret, we do know that she celebrates her birthday on January 15.
She is the co-founder of the clothing brand Sister Sister, which is a Columbian brand supporting all the clothing products made in Columbia.
Maria founded the company in 2019 along with her sisters: Manuela, Amelia and Elisa.
Maria is also the president of Mia’s Miracles Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by her and Camilo following their daughter’s untimely death.
It gives modest blessings to children and families who are going through difficult times.
The couple have been through a lot, but Maria continues to remain a constant support in the golfer’s life.
The trauma of having to lose a daughter is still there, but they are both taking it one day at a time and healing.
