Family & Personal Life
Despite his demanding career, Rodriguez-Torres has always been deeply committed to his family. In 1956, he married Guly Rodriguez-Torres in Havana, Cuba, and together, they built a life centered on faith, love, respect, and mutual support. The couple has four children: Carmen (deceased), Raul, Rafael, and Raymond. They are also grandparents to five grandchildren (Alex, Randall, Christian, Bella (deceased), and Rayna and six great-grandchildren (Julia, Jazmine, Olivia, Sophia, Lucas, Braxton, and Theodore (deceased).[1]
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In the personal realm, Dr. Rodriguez-Torres’s legacy took on an even more poignant dimension through his granddaughter, Bella Rodriguez-Torres. Born in Miami in 2002, Bella was diagnosed at age four with stage four alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Despite facing six recurrences and enduring years of treatment, Bella’s resilience and spirit inspired a movement that transcended her illness.
During her battle, her family coined the phrase “Live Like Bella,” a motto that came to symbolize courage, faith, and compassion. The phrase gained national attention when NBA stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade wore it on their shoes during the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals. Bella passed away in May 2013 at the age of ten, but her legacy was just beginning.
In her honor, the Live Like Bella® Childhood Cancer Foundation was established to support children battling cancer and their families. The foundation has since become a global force in pediatric oncology advocacy, funding over $37 million in initiatives and supporting families in 49 U.S. states and 38 countries. Its programs include financial assistance for treatment and memorial services, funding for 75 clinical trials, and the establishment of the Live Like Bella Pediatric Proton Radiation Oncology Program at the Miami Cancer Institute.
Bella’s legacy—rooted in the same compassion and vision that defined her grandfather’s life—continues to uplift children and families around the world. Through her story, the Rodriguez-Torres family has turned personal tragedy into a beacon of hope for others.
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A Life That Continues to Inspire
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Even after retirement, Dr. Rodriguez-Torres remained active in advisory roles, contributing to pediatric healthcare initiatives in Honduras and beyond. At home, he was a devoted husband to Guly and a loving father to Raul, Rafael, and Raymond. He cherished the ocean, literature, and the simple joy of returning to the movies—once joking that buying popcorn after years of long hospital shifts felt like a small rebellion.
Dr. Ramon Rodriguez-Torres was more than a physician. He was a builder of institutions, a mentor to many, and a tireless advocate for children’s health. His work reshaped pediatric medicine not only in Miami but across the Americas. His legacy lives on in every child who received care, every doctor he trained, and every initiative that continues to bear his influence.
And through Bella, his granddaughter, that legacy has taken on a new and profound form—one that continues to heal, inspire, and uplift children around the world.
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