On January 12, 1926 a country legend was born who gave his whole life to his passion, the only thing he desired to do until on November 6, 2012 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. "That's not very much an option for me. God knows I want to live as long as I can but I don't want to live like that." Said the 87 year old Hall of Famer. "The doctor said that every man will get cancer if he lives to be old enough. I don't know why I got it -- I ain't old!" he had been receiving chemo therapy for quite some time, though another option was to get a surgery, which would probably mean he would have to stay in the nursing home.

In early February his cancer started to suspend. In May he was hospitalized because of increasing dehydration. In December he was taken to the hospital when he was at the last stages of pancreatic cancer, then on December 1 left for hospice care, according to his son. But his death reports were just too early.

Just before 5 p.m. his wife Janie Price Ray posted this on her Facebook page, “At this time our loveable Ray Price is still with. Us. When it is the time there will be an official statement [from] Bill Mack.” Mack is the Fort Worth radio legend.

At 6p.m. Janie told Mack that Ray is still alive. “He’s fading rapidly,” says Mack. At this point cancer has reached Ray’s pancreas and lungs but he was not feeling any pain. “She called me at 10 this morning and said he’s fading rapidly. I just spoke with Willie Nelson, who said, ‘I wish Ray would make up his mind.'”

Janie then confirms “He is still with us”. She further says, “It’s been an honor to walk this road with him. It’s a sad day. We are losing a great man.” So it turns out reports of Ray’s death were a mere mistake.