‘That man is a miracle’: Las Cruces father celebrating 2nd victory over rare form of cancer

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- A win over cancer is an amazing feat by any stretch of the imagination.

However, one family man in Las Cruces is reflecting upon his victory in that battle, not once but twice.

In 2002, William Roberts first went to war with a rare cancer diagnosis that required immediate invasive surgery.

“They pulled out my forehead and they took out half of my eye socket and all the bone to my nose and they wired me up and screwed me back together," said lifelong Borderland resident William Roberts.

That same cancer flared up again in 2016.

In the 18 years since that first diagnosis, William's fight has been ultimately successful but has also cost him his job, his sense of smell and his ability to play most musical instruments along the way.

And as William outboxed cancer, his wife Phyllis was always in his corner.

“That man is a miracle," she said. "God gave him back to use. We did not think he would live this long.”

William Roberts had a message he wanted to send.

“Get off your duff. Get it treated and love life and trust god to take care of you,” he said.

He added that he will celebrate his 70th birthday in October with a big steak dinner and will also soon be ringing in 32 years of marriage to his wife.