Kevin González, a Chicago-born U.S. citizen, died on May 10 in Durango, Mexico, only a day after reuniting with his parents. González, who begged ICE to let him see his detained parents, spent months fighting stage four colon cancer until succumbing to it eventually.
Reportedly, the 18-year-old passed away at his home surrounded by his family, including parents who were released by ICE last week to go back to Mexico.
According to a televised report shared in a viral X video, González passed away at around 3:40 p.m. local time, surrounded by his mother and father.
The emotional update was shared by a reporter standing outside his grandmother’s house in Mexico. After receiving confirmation from his family, she said:
“Kevin González has sadly passed away.”
Heart Breaking Update
18 year old Kevin González has died from his cancer—exactly 24 hours after finally reunited with his mom and dad.
They had been separated for the last 5 months of his life.
Federal judge ordered his expedited removal from ICE detention center on May 7. https://t.co/IJvCYkoLQG pic.twitter.com/0xaLl99zPi
— LongTime🤓FirstTime👨💻 (@LongTimeHistory) May 11, 2026
His grandmother said that he died peacefully after telling his mother that he was “happy” to be able to hug them again.
Reportedly, he had enough strength in him until a day before his death to call his mother mom and was able to hug them too.
However, on the day of his death, he woke up with severe chest pain, which made it more challenging to breathe. According to the reporter, the family was devastated by the loss, especially because they had only reunited with González a day earlier.
González’s parents, Anabel Ramírez Amaya and Isidoro, were detained in Arizona after trying to enter the country to see their son following his terminal diagnosis. They had attempted to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally after their humanitarian visa requests were denied.
Both of them had previously been deported from the U.S., which reportedly complicated their applications.
The couple remained in federal custody from April 14 until May 7 before a judge approved their release. They were then deported back to Durango, where González had shifted after checking himself out of the University of Chicago Medical Center last week, after learning of his parents’ release.
The reunion finally happened on Saturday, a day before his death. His mother said:
“What I would have wanted more than anything was to be there with him during his bad news, because it was so difficult for me. Not to be there to hug him and tell him that everything was going to be okay.”
On Saturday, Kevin González, an 18-year-old American diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, reunited with his parents in Mexico on Saturday after they were detained and deported while trying to return to the U.S. to see him.
The teen died on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/tDBMVgwt2Q
— KWCH 12 News (@KWCH12) May 11, 2026
González’s father spoke emotionally of his reunion with his son and said:
“I knelt on his feet, I told him I was sorry if I ever disappointed him as a father and that I loved him.”
According to ABC7chicago, U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez worked tirelessly to make sure Kevin’s parents got to meet him on time.
“However you feel about immigration, you can’t tell me that a mother or father will do anything to be able to hold their child one last time.”
“To me, we honor Kevin’s memory by fighting for more compassion and a just world that honors our humanity or dignity, that actually puts our children first.”
