MIDDLEBURG – The world seemed to stop when Richard Reyes was told he had Stage IV colorectal cancer, and that it had already metathesized to a lymph node.  His mind worked through a checklist of accomplishments, failures and unfinished business. He didn’t know whether to scream or cry. Or both.

Phone calls went unanswered. His mind wandered. He drifted into an empty place, where thoughts often focused on his own mortality.

Then the phone rang. He looked at the caller identifier, and it was Sgt. Maj. Ansil Lewis, a retired U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was Clay County’s 2022 Veteran of the Year. He decided to answer.

“He said, ‘Hey, what's going on?’ I said I just found out it [cancer] went into my lymph node,” Reyes said. “I was really upset. All he said was: ‘positive vibes, bro, positive vibes.’ That was exactly what I needed to hear.”

After nearly two dozen treatments failed, Reyes kept fighting for answers – all with positive vibes. Then, experimental therapy did the impossible.

“One day, I came in for a checkup, and they said I gained three pounds. What? They sent me down for a CT scan and an MRI, twice. They sent me to a colorectal cancer doctor in Tampa, and they could not detect my cancer. I was cured. I was gone. We lose people every day to this, but there are a lot more people who are winning. People don’t talk about that.”

His passion to bring comfort, encouragement, hope, perspective and meaningful support to those facing life’s toughest battle has continued through his nonprofit fittingly called, “Operation Positive Vibes.” It’s a two-fold mission: first to support cancer patients, and second to insist everyone become their own advocate by regularly getting scanned, screened and checked to stop the deadly disease early.

Reyes said he gets scanned every 90 days.

“Ansil taught me the value of having a battle buddy, a wingman. He taught me the whole concept,” Reyes said. “He still checks on me today, and I’m honored to be his friend.”

Reyes travels the country addressing businesses, groups and organizational meetings to spread the positive gospel that there’s hope after a cancer diagnosis. One of his recent motivational presentations was at TEDx Ocala, and it ended with an eight-minute standing ovation.

For those undergoing cancer treatment, Reyes’ Blue Bag Project is a shoulder bag filled with practical comfort items and encouragement to help patients and their families navigate the illness and the mental health battles that come with it.

“When you give flowers, they die,” Reyes said. “The Blue Bag is something they can keep forever.”

His warehouse and storage units are filled with $1 million worth of blue bags and support material.

Reyes’ team, which includes Belinda Ganey, whose husband died of cancer, supports Career and Technical Education. In fact, they will open a special timeout room at S. Bryan Jennings Elementary where students can decompress or reorganize their emotions.

In the process, Reyes has built an impressive collection of cars and trucks. In addition to Shaquille O’Neal’s custom-built Freightliner, he has old racing cars and a truck from Richard Childress Racing and Petty Enterprises. He also rebuilt a massive Hummer in a patriotic red, white and blue theme.

“We use them to attract attention, to get people to listen,” he said.

Once others listen, they are embraced by positive vibes – and perhaps life-saving information.