Comedian Ate Gay Fights for His Life
ATE GAY – The comedian and singer is currently fighting for his life after being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. In an emotional interview on the Sunday episode of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS), Ate Gay opened up about his health struggles, the financial burden of his treatments, and his deep desire to keep living so he can continue bringing joy to others.
Known for his impersonations of the late National Artist Nora Aunor and his popular song mashups, Ate Gay shared that his battle began earlier this year when he noticed a small lump on his neck last February. At first, he thought it was just like mumps, but over time, the swelling grew larger and eventually began to bleed.
He underwent several tests, including an ultrasound, CT scan, and biopsy. Initially, doctors believed the lump was benign or non-cancerous, which allowed him to continue performing, even doing shows abroad. However, while on a provincial show, the bleeding worsened. When he returned to Manila, Ate Gay went back to the hospital, where doctors confirmed his worst fear — the cancer had already advanced to stage 4.
“Mahirap ngayon ang lagay ko. May kanser ako, stage 4 daw,” he tearfully admitted. Ate Gay expressed his wish to have the tumor removed, but doctors warned that surgery could cause excessive bleeding and pose serious risks to his life.
Chemotherapy and radiation were recommended to slow the spread of the cancer, but his family was hesitant due to a painful experience with another sibling who also battled cancer and suffered greatly during treatment. This left Ate Gay with limited options, relying heavily on prayer, hope, and the support of his loved ones.
“Wala raw lunas. Masakit sa akin. Halos araw-araw umiiyak ako.,” he said. “Hindi naman ako nagkulang kay Lord. Although lagi kong sinasabi na walang himala.”
Ate Gay’s wish is simple: to live longer so he can continue making people laugh. He recalled surviving a rare and life-threatening skin condition in 2021 called toxic epidermal necrolysis. Having overcome that challenge, he remains hopeful that he can also win this battle against cancer.