Maria Matias, the mother of Hector "Macho" Camacho plans to ask doctors
lift life support from Camacho but Camacho’s eldest son has opposed such plans but “Macho’s” mom seems to be firm on her plans after three more of his sons arrive in Puerto Rico to be with him.
Matias says three more of the boxer's sons will arrive in Puerto Rico and will get to see him for the last time on Saturday. She says her son "died three days ago and he's only alive now because of a machine."
The former world champion was shot in the face Tuesday night in his hometown
of Bayamon. Family and friends kept a somber vigil Friday at the hospital where he remains on life support. Doctors have said Camacho is clinically brain dead from the shooting. But relatives and friends told The Associated Press they are still wrestling with whether to remove him from life support.
Camacho's oldest son, Hector Camacho Jr., told reporters his father has not been disconnected from an artificial respirator and that he believes he is still alive. "My father is a boxer and we're going to let him fight for his life," he said. "The doctors have said a lot of things, but he is alive, he's in the fight."
Two of Camacho's sisters have asked that he remain on life support until Saturday. As some relatives and friends continued to pray for a miracle, condolences kept coming in for the boxer's family and preparations have begun for memorials and a funeral Mass.
Gov. Luis Fortuno said he lamented what he called a sudden loss. "'Macho' will always be remembered for his spontaneity and charisma in and out of the ring," he said. Also offering condolences was governor-elect Alejandro Garcia Padilla, who defeated Fortuno in November.
"The life of Macho Camacho, like other great athletes of ours, united the country," he said. "We celebrated his triumphs in the streets, and we applauded him with noble sportsmanship when he didn't prevail."
Camacho was shot Tuesday night as he sat in a car with a friend, 49-year-old Adrian Mojica Moreno, who was killed in the attack. Police spokesman Alex Diaz said officers found nine small bags of cocaine in the friend's pocket and a 10th bag open inside the car.
Police have made no arrests and continue to interview potential witnesses. Capt. Rafael Rosa told reporters Friday that they are tracking down several leads, but added that very few witnesses are cooperating. He declined to say whether police have identified any suspects.
Camacho Jr. lamented the violence that has consumed Puerto Rico, a U.S. island territory of nearly 4 million people that reported a record 1,117 homicides last year.
"Death, jail, drugs, killings," he said. "That's what the streets are now."
Camacho's sisters have said they would like to fly Camacho's body to New York and bury him there. Camacho grew up mostly in Harlem, earning the nickname the "Harlem Heckler."
He won super lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight world titles in the 1980s and fought high-profile bouts against Felix Trinidad, Julio Cesar Chavez and Sugar Ray Leonard. Camacho knocked out Leonard in 1997, ending the former champ's final comeback attempt. Camacho had a career record of 79-6-3.
Camacho also battled drug, alcohol and other problems throughout his life. He was sentenced in 2007 to seven years in prison on burglary charges, but a judge eventually suspended all but one year of the sentence and gave Camacho probation. He wound up serving two weeks in jail, though, after violating that probation. A wife also filed domestic abuse complaints against him twice before their divorce.
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