Jonás Gutiérrez was honoured at a ceremony in Buenos Aires on Thursday and named Outstanding Sports Personality by the city legislature. The former Argentina midfielder who has just recovered from testicular cancer received the title as measure of his “successes as a player, but also his human values.”

During the emotional ceremony, Gutiérrez was joined by a host of familiar faces, including San Lorenzo manager, Edgardo Bauza, who gave him his debut for Vélez, José Luis Chilavert, Newcastle captain and teammate, Fabricio Coloccini, Claudia Villafañe, the ex–wife of Diego Maradona and his girlfriend, Alejandra Maglietti.

Speaking after receiving the award, Jonás said:

“I don’t want to be an example, I simply try to help those who are going through a similar situation. I do not fear cancer; It is not a bad word, nor is death. It should be positive and be dealt with with great fortitude. The important thing is to look always forward.”

When discussing his chemotherapy treatment, Gutiérrez joked, “The only bad thing was that it made me lose the hair that I had.”

His mother also spoke at the ceremony and revealed that “at 3 years old, Jonás had a febrile seizure, and was paralyzed on the left side of the body. So he began to do sports, to play football on a little pitch.”

With friend and teammate, Fabricio Coloccini at his side, Gutiérrez is now preparing to go back to Newcastle in December to continue his comeback. The ever popular figure will be welcomed back by the staff and fans but whether he has a future in the Premier League remains to be seen.