The No. 1 thing is I’m going to live and I’m going to beat this thing.
EDINBURG — Edinburg Vela head coach Jaime Perez has won over 200 games, 29 in the playoffs and 13 playoff series victories during his nine years leading the SaberCats’ baseball program. But it’s his most recent victory that saved his life.
During the 2022 postseason, Perez was forced to miss Edinburg Vela’s first two playoff series due to illness. Two months later, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer.
“When I got diagnosed, I asked God for one thing, ‘Let me start my season and let me go as far as I can go before these life-altering changes are coming.’ What I’m going to go through is going to be life-altering for me, but for me to live, I have to do this,” Perez said during a March 15 interview. “The No. 1 thing is I’m going to live and I’m going to beat this thing.”
Perez underwent chemotherapy and was scheduled to undergo surgery April 13 in Houston. He planned to step away from coaching the SaberCats for the remainder of the season while in recovery.
Perez coached what he thought would be his final game of the year last Friday, a 3-2 win in extra innings over McAllen Rowe. After the game, the SaberCats team and community came together on the Edinburg Vela baseball field in prayer for Perez as he prepared for surgery.
His oldest son, Jaime “Mito” Perez Jr., who played at Vela from 2018-21 and is currently a sophomore catcher for the Tarleton University baseball team, happened to be in town with the Texans the same weekend as they faced UTRGV for a three-game Western Athletic Conference series.
In last Sunday’s series finale against UTRGV, the younger Perez hit a three-run home run with Coach Perez and family in the stands. The home run was the second of Mito’s career and an emotional moment for the family as he flashed the “I love you” hand gesture towards them as he rounded third base during his home run trot.
“When he hit that home run, it was overwhelming. What a special moment, not just for me, but for my family,” Perez said. “A lot of family and friends were there, they got to experience it with us. My wife is Mrs. 24/7. She’s my rock and I couldn’t do it without her. Watching Mito hit that home run, what a great feeling.”
After the game, Coach Perez prayed with his son and four former Edinburg Vela baseball players who are currently on the UTRGV baseball team — RJ Ochoa (2017), Nico Rodriguez (2019), Isaac Lopez (2020) and Rudy Gonzalez (2022).
“This man is a legend and I am blessed to call him my father,” Mito Perez said during the series against UTRGV. “He has taught all of us to do the little things right and respect the game no matter what. He’s a father figure to many and many love him. You’re gonna beat cancer, pops.”
This man is a legend and I am blessed to call him my father. He has taught all of us to do the little things right and respect the game no matter what. He’s a father figure to many and many love him. You’re gonna beat cancer, pops.
A day after seeing his son hit a home run in his return to the Rio Grande Valley, Coach Perez was in Houston for pre-operation testing in preparation for his scheduled surgery. On Tuesday, he received news from his doctor.
“The doctor’s exact words were, ‘I can’t explain it, but there’s nothing there.’ I’m a walking testimony of his grace and his mercy — I’m cancer-free,” Perez said. “There are no signs but a scar. There is no cancer in my body whatsoever. My blood tests came up negative. The CTs and MRIs came up zero cancer. I’m really, really blessed. I’m blessed that I don’t have to go through this life-altering surgery. I’m very grateful. It’s a second chance at life.”
During his time leading the SaberCats, he’s helped send more than a dozen players onto the next level to play college baseball. The four former Vela players and current Vaqueros took turns describing Coach Perez. Each time, common words came up — father figure, an inspiration and teacher of hard work.
Perez’s middle and youngest sons, Izzy and Augie, are currently in high school and junior high. Izzy Perez said the support from family, friends and the baseball community helped uplift his father during his battle with cancer.
“We just had to be here for him, help him out and put everything in God’s hands and God worked his magic,” he said. “The support has been crazy. I want to thank everybody that’s supported my dad and helped him through his struggle. He’s had so many family and friends that have helped us out.”
Perez now plans to rejoin the Edinburg Vela baseball program and will be back on the diamond and in the dugout next week to lead the SaberCats in their pursuit of a ninth-consecutive playoff berth.
“I feel amazing. I’m with my family, my boys. I’m in a really, really good situation right now,” he said. “I just thank God everyday I get to come out to my place of peace. My home is the baseball field. That’s where I love to be.”
