CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) - A Chula Vista family is mourning the sudden death of a 27-year-old man from leukemia, less than a year after his father, a veteran police officer, died unexpectedly.
In early March, Roman Padilla developed a headache and flu-like symptoms. Padilla, an avid golfer who ran 10 miles a day, was rushed to an emergency room a few days later.
Family friend Shannon Eagle said loved ones received shocking news at the hospital.
"The white blood cell count was well in the 400,000s, which later confirmed that this was leukemia," Eagle said.
Padilla died the next morning.
“The family is absolutely devastated," Eagle said. "They are in survival mode. They cannot even fathom that this has happened yet again.”
The family's heartbreak began nearly a year ago when 53-year-old Manny Padilla, a veteran Chula Vista police officer, died of an aortic tear, likely related to high blood pressure, which he was taking medication for.
I spoke with Roman Padilla's sister, Bianca Padilla, before their father's funeral.
"Just feels like a hole in my heart," Bianca Padilla said.
During the service, Roman Padilla talked about his father's love for his wife and children.
"He always called us four his babies," Roman Padilla said.
More than 10 months later, the family is dealing with another young life cut short.
"I can tell you it was shock and horror," Eagle said. "They are broken.”
Roman Padilla worked in marketing for a beer company and once starred as an Eastlake Little Leaguer.
"He's caring, supportive, loving, and one helluva baseball player," Eagle said.
I met his former coach, radio broadcaster Dave Palet, on the field where Roman Padilla hit a record-setting 27 home runs in one season at age 12.
When asked what he remembers most about Roman on the field, Palet answered, “His smile. He was fun, loving, and cared about his teammates. This is one of those things, life isn’t fair, and this feels like that."
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the family with funeral expenses.
Dr. Radha Canepa, chief of hematology-oncology at Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center, released a statement regarding leukemia, noting it is a rare form of blood cancer that can develop suddenly or gradually.
"Symptoms can appear over months, but in some cases, they can appear over just a few days to weeks," Canepa said."Some of the early symptoms may be subtle. Because of this, individuals may delay seeking medical evaluation, assuming the changes are due to stress, fatigue, or minor illness. Unfortunately, postponing assessment can allow the disease to progress before it is detected.”
Canepa noted common early signs may include persistent fatigue, frequent infections, unexplained bruising, or prolonged fevers, but can also present with bone discomfort, night sweats, unintentional weight loss, or small changes in skin coloration.
"While these signs can be associated with many non-serious conditions, they should not be ignored, especially when they persist, worsen, or occur in combination," Canepa said. "Although this disease is rare, I encourage anyone experiencing ongoing or unexplained changes in their health to seek medical attention promptly. Listening to one’s body and acting early is an essential part of safeguarding long-term health."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
