Gary Núñez, musical director and founder of Plena Libre, passed away this morning after losing his battle with pancreatic cancer.
The news was announced in written statements by his widow, Valerie Cox.
“Dear friends. With pain in our souls, my children and I announce to you this morning the death of my Gary (Núñez). “Gary died in our home, surrounded by us and his family, receiving all the love he had throughout his life had donated for a long time,” Cox said.
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“Now the hill is getting steeper and we will fight the battle and sing my song that Puerto Rico has made its own: I go up, I go down, if you live the way I live, I live hesitantly…”
“As he himself told you a few days ago, my beloved husband was suffering from pancreatic cancer, the diagnosis of which reached us a few weeks ago. Gary fought as hard as he could to cope with the disease, and I’m sure he did too, so that our children Luis Ga, Joel and Adriana and I were affected as little as possible. We thank Dr. Edgardo Velez and Dr. Maribel Tirado and the medical team at the Comprehensive Cancer Center for the care they have given him over the past few weeks. “Our family will be forever grateful to them and to all the friends who accompanied us through this great test,” he added.
Cox also thanked the “people who loved him so much” and reported that they will hold a public memorial and mourning ceremony in the coming days. He also pointed out that the remains of Gary Nuñez will be cremated.
“Finally, I would like to thank the members of Plena Libre for your love and solidarity. They show once again that we are a large and beloved family, always united and supportive. As you know, Gary’s commitment to the group and our Puerto Rican music was unwavering. We will continue this legacy with the same love and dedication. This will be our tribute to his indelible legacy. The tambourines will continue to sound.”
On October 9th, Gary announced his diagnosis in an open letter.
“Dear friends. Life sometimes surprises us and presents us with challenges that we never thought we would face. Today it is my turn to face an enormous challenge that I have overcome because of the love that I feel for the entire Puerto Rican people and want to share with you the support I have received from you for decades.
“After an extensive list of studies and medical examinations, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few days ago. Together with my wife Valerie, my children LuisGa, Adriana and Joel and the team of specialists who care for me, we are addressing the situation and doing our best to overcome this setback. There is life.
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