Raul Malo, the beloved frontman of The Mavericks, shared back in September that the band would have to cancel some shows.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Now, months later, his wife, Betty, is sharing her thoughts about her husband's cancer battle in a video she recently posted to social media.
Letters Have Been Pouring in for Raul Malo and The Mavericks
In the clip, Betty and her family are seen sitting at a table opening numerous letters and cards. She begins the lengthy caption with this message:
"As a family, we sit together and open every single get-well card Raul receives. He reads each one, and we take in every word. They come from all over the world, reminding us how deeply he is loved."
She continues, "What touches us the most are the stories—those moments when people share how his music carried them through their own battles with illness, grief, or loss. Now, your messages have become our songs.
"They are what carry us through this hell we are living in, giving us strength on the days we need it most.
Betty then closes with a heartfelt thanks:
"From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your love, your prayers, and your support. And to everyone who has donated to Raul's GoFundMe: please know that your generosity is helping us fight for the best care possible. We feel your kindness in every step of this journey. We are so grateful."
It's Been a Long Battle for Raul Malo
Last year, Malo explained that "the doctors found a few cancerous spots in my digestive system. Obviously, this isn't the news I was hoping to get, or to share with you all."
Since that initial update, however, things have gotten worse for Raul.
Raul wrote on social media on Sep. 24 that he was diagnosed with leptomeningeal disease, or LMD. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is cancer that is in the "cerebrospinal fluid and leptomeninges, membranes that surround your brain and spinal cord."
In a heartfelt post to fans, Raul wrote, "I am in no way alone, or scared. I have an amazing wife and boys, wonderful family, team, road crew, band, friends and fans. I don't even have enough words to describe the love and support that I'm getting right now."
Additionally, the Malo family created a GoFundMe to help cover their medical bills. Over $253,000 has been raised to date.
You can watch Betty Malo's video here.
