Camilo Villegas loses 22-month-old daughter to brain tumors

PGA star Camilo Villegas’s 22-month-old daughter Mia dies nearly two months after he tearfully revealed she had brain tumors

  • The 22-month-old daughter of golfer Camilo Villegas has died from tumors on her brain and spine. The tour said Mia Villegas died on Sunday night 
  • Mia was diagnosed in March.  Tests showed tumors on her brain and spine
  • She ultimately had surgery and chemotherapy, her father revealed in June 

The 22-month-old daughter of golfer Camilo Villegas has died from tumors on her brain and spine.

Mia Villegas was diagnosed March 14, two weeks after Villegas and his wife, Maria, noticed she wasn’t as playful as she had been. Tests showed tumors on her brain and spine. She had surgery, and then chemotherapy. The tour said she died Sunday night.

Mia was the only daughter for Camilo and his wife, Maria.  

Mia Villegas was diagnosed March 14, two weeks after Villegas and his wife, Maria, noticed she wasn’t as playful as she had been. Tests showed tumors on her brain and spine. She had surgery, and then chemotherapy. The tour said she died Sunday night. Mia was the only daughter for Camilo and his wife, Maria

Villegas sounded optimistic about her chances after revealing her illness back in June at the Korn Ferry Challenge. 'Hopefully, it's just a bump in the road for her, and for us, and we'll be celebrating that day that she's clean,' the 38-year-old Villegas told reporters

Villegas sounded optimistic about her chances after revealing her illness back in June at the Korn Ferry Challenge. ‘Hopefully, it’s just a bump in the road for her, and for us, and we’ll be celebrating that day that she’s clean,’ the 38-year-old Villegas told reporters 

Mia Villegas, the 22-month-old daughter of golfer Camilo has died from tumors on her brain

Mia Villegas, the 22-month-old daughter of golfer Camilo has died from tumors on her brain

Camilo Villegas, whose four PGA Tour victories include consecutive wins in the BMW Championship and Tour Championship to close out the 2008 season, spoke of her health when he played a Korn Ferry Tour event last month.

‘The PGA TOUR is deeply saddened having lost a member of our family, Mia Villegas,’ PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said. ‘We grieve with Camilo and Maria and our thoughts and prayers are with the Villegas family.’

Villegas sounded optimistic about her chances after revealing her illness back in June at the Korn Ferry Challenge.

‘Hopefully, it’s just a bump in the road for her, and for us, and we’ll be celebrating that day that she’s clean,’ the 38-year-old Villegas told reporters.

Villegas then began to break down in tears, describing his daughter’s symptoms. 

Young Mia Villegas pictured with her mother Maria. Mia passed away on Sunday from cancer

Young Mia Villegas pictured with her mother Maria. Mia passed away on Sunday from cancer 

Camilo Villegas said he began to notice the problem when Mia's crying became more frequent

Camilo Villegas said he began to notice the problem when Mia’s crying became more frequent

The Villegas family pictured back in October in their Halloween costumes

The Villegas family pictured back in October in their Halloween costumes 

Mia Villegas was the only daughter of 38-year-old golfer Camilo and his wife Maria

Mia Villegas was the only daughter of 38-year-old golfer Camilo and his wife Maria 

‘She was always a little monkey around the gym, and I noticed she wasn’t being the little monkey she always was,’ he said. ‘I don’t know why, I just kind of got a bad feeling.’ 

In the coming days, Villegas told reporters, Mia would make up crying more frequently.   

‘Bad feelings crossed my mind,’ he said. ‘I had heard bad stories here and there. 

‘So, I told my wife about [those] concerns. She told me not to think like that.’ 

Unfortunately, the surgery in March did not alleviate the problem. 

‘After the surgery, when it was time to remove the stitches, they learned the growth had become pretty aggressive,’ he said.  ‘We were told we needed to start treatment right away, so they kept us there.’ 

Villegas has battled a shoulder injury the last couple of years and hasn’t been a consistent feature on the tour since his daughter’s diagnosis.’ 

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