Imperial Valley cancer warrior remembered by loved ones

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY)- At the age of 26, Joshua Holmes received news from doctors no one hopes to hear.

Joshua's aunt, Celeste said about his condition, "It was growing to the point where his liver was being kind of smashed up. And he had tubes to help him. He couldn't eat. He hadn't eaten for three years. He could drink liquids and there were even times where he couldn't do that. "

It was stage four cancer. Neva, Joshua's sister said doctors struggled to find a cure for his illness.

"It crippled him. It took away a part of him. He struggled. He was in excruciating pain. No medicine could completely take away his pain."

The community Joshua called home for his entire life showed it’s love and
support for him at a blood drive held in his honor.

Celeste recalled, "It was amazing the amount of people that came. El
Centro P.D. came out. Firefighters came out. Military came out. We had an
overwhelming amount of people came out and donated."

Joshua spent his final moments surrounded by loved ones.

Neva said, "We just stayed with him, family and friends. The
whole night we were up and he held up for us. And we were there when he took his last breath."

He was a superhero to everyone who’s lives he touched.

Celeste added, "The battle that he fought here in my eyes, although he passed, he won because he never gave up. He fought till the end.
And knowing that he's no longer in pain it soothes my heart."

Even though Joshua's gone, his family knows he would want them to live their lives to the fullest.

"That he loves us a lot. And that he wants us to be happy and move on and live our best for him. And it's okay to be sad but you can't let it take over your life," said Neva.

A public funeral will be held for Joshua Holmes at the Southwest High School Gym Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to noon.