José Luis Rodriguez, ‘El Puma’, talks about the disease that almost killed him

• He became emotional remembering.
• José Luis Rodriguez explained everything about his disease.
• El Puma couldn’t help but be ‘sensitive’ about the subject.

José Luis Rodriguez, ‘El Puma’, talks about the disease that almost took his life. The popular Venezuelan singer could not help becoming emotional when remembering this event that turned him into a new person and made him value his health.

In an interview with presenter Yordi Rosado «El Puma» recounted the most significant moments of his life and was even open and sensitive, something somewhat surprising for his fans because he is not usually seen in that light.

José Luis Rodriguez, ‘El Puma’, talks about the disease that almost claimed his life

At 79, the native of Venezuela said he had recovered, he was more active and visibly stronger after his recent illness. However it was inevitable for the singer to become emotional when he was asked about his health on Yordi Rosado’s Youtube channel.

While talking about other difficult times in his life, he also discussed experiences that made him strong despite adversity, such as the death of his father when he was a child, the fights at home with his 11 siblings and the «tough» jobs that he had to do to support his family.

He suffered from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

These situations turned him into a responsible man who had no time for vices such as alcohol or cigarettes, confirming that the serious illness he recently suffered from, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, was not due to being a smoker.

José Luis Rodríguez explained in the interview with Yordi Rosado that idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a disease whose origin is unknown and for which there is still no cure. According to El Heraldo, this condition hardens the organ until it prevents sufferers from breathing and suffocates them.

“I hoped for a miracle”

«I hoped for a miracle» El Puma said about his illness and revealed that he was reluctant to wait for a lung transplant. However, it became a necessity since his health was getting worse.

As he revealed to Yordi Rosado, El Puma waited six months for a donor, something he recommended people to do to save the lives of at least 10 more people. He also said that he needed the assistance of a machine to breathe and his wife had to help him with basic tasks.

«I never gave up, I knew there was a purpose»

“I was like 10 years in that process. Harder to sing, harder the heights of Mexico, Bogotá, or Bolivia, I felt that I was dying in Bolivia, people didn’t understand me, I’m dying, I’m suffocating, until I was able to get out of it,» the singer revealed to Yordi about his illness.

“I became a two-year-old, I couldn’t do anything. I felt bad, powerless, I was with 50 oxygen cables waiting for a transplant. I don’t wish it on anyone, it was very hard. The wait is terrible, every day you’re doing worse. I never gave up, I knew there was a purpose,» the Venezuelan singer said teary-eyed his struggle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

El Puma gave details about the surgery that kept him alive

El Puma also gave details about the successful surgery that kept him alive and how important it was for him to «remove the tube (breathing machine)» and use his lungs again.

«I came back to life, I started to breathe. Thank God, the donor, his family, the people who prayed, who interceded, my wife and daughter, I am totally grateful,» said the singer, visibly moved.