BUFFALO, N.Y. — The 2019 NFL Draft will be missing one notable face for the Buffalo Bills, the face of Ezra Castro—better known to the Bills Mafia as Pancho Billa. Thursday afternoon news broke that Castro has now entered hospice care.
After being hospitalized for a second time in less than a week due to lung inflammation, Castro announced on Tuesday he would be unable to make it to Nashville. Thursday he said he is not giving up and continues to hope for a miracle. He also asks Bills fans to keep praying for him.
WATCH: Pancho Billa will miss 2019 NFL Draft due to health
Castro was an emotional centerpiece of the 2018 draft; months after learning he had stage 4 pancreatic cancer, Castro fulfilled a dream of announcing the Bills’ 3rd-round selection of Harrison Philips.
This year, former Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson offered his spot to Castro once again.
But Castro’s decision in response was made for the sake of his health.
Castro battled his cancer over the past year with 3 different, increasingly aggressive chemotherapy treatments.
Unsatisfied with the outcomes of more than 2-dozen chemotherapy appointments, Castro shifted into experimental treatments at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
So experimental, Castro said, that the medicine hasn’t even been named yet.
While specialists have spotted some improvement in Castro’s liver, it’s also creating a problematic level of inflammation in his lungs; the lack of oxygen and difficulty breathing is what brought Castro into the hospital twice in April.
Castro told 2 On Your Side Thursday that he will forever be grateful to the Bills Mafia.
"I want to tell them that I love them, first and foremost, and I want to thank them for accepting me and for being there for me through thick and thin, and most important, making me an honorary Buffalonian to the City of Buffalo that I will cherish forever. And, I know my family will cherish that as well," said Castro.
Castro met Del Reid from 26 Shirts through social media several years ago long before his diagnosis. They are now good friends.
"The situation he's in, he's handling it with the kind of grace that I think we all hope we would display if we found ourselves in that position," says Reid.
Castro called Reid Thursday to share his news.
"I just told him, and I said, hey man, I love you back. You know? It's actually kind of funny. He called me, he started to say that, he's like oh wait, Harrison Phillips is calling me, I'm like dude, you gotta take that call. I said call me back. I'm small potatoes," said Reid.
Thursday afternoon, Harrison Phillips tweeted video sharing his thoughts on Castro.
"You made my draft experience so unbelievable being able to, you know, call me up on stage, and so, tonight it'll be fun to Facetime you so we can watch that pick together. But again, I wanted to encourage you, let you know we're all here for you," said Phillips.
Castro was supposed to be at this year's draft, instead, the Bills held a seat for him.
"Viva Los Bills, Pancho Power, the legend of Pancho Billa will live on forever, and my children will carry that legacy, guaranteed," said Castro.
Castro has a lot of people pulling for him, and the 26 Shirts T-Shirt that honors him is back until May 5. Eight-dollars from every shirt sold goes directly to Castro and his family