Cojo Feliz," the Polytech Student Who Turned Tragedy into Comedy

Nestor Pinacho

Few people can say that the Polytechnic saved their lives. Hugo Alberto Pérez Acevedo, a stand-up comedian better known as "Cojo Feliz," is one of those rare individuals who can. "For me, the Polytechnic will always be the school I belonged to in my heart, the one that shaped me even more profoundly. Thanks to the institution providing Social Security while you're part of the student body, I was able to receive treatment for cancer. I didn't have access to any medical services through my parents; it was the Polytechnic that saved my life.

Hugo Alberto's father always spoke to him about the excellence and high academic standards at the Polytechnic, so from a young age, he knew he wanted to study there. He chose the Centro de Estudios Científicos y Tecnológicos (CECyT) 14 "Luis Enrique Erro."

Anyone observing Hugo Alberto today would think that humor and quick wit have always been a part of his life, qualities he effectively expresses and shares with others. However, he says that it wasn't until he entered his undergraduate program in Computer Science at the Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Ingeniería y Ciencias Sociales y Administrativas (UPIICSA) that he developed these skills.

At this institution, he also discovered an interest in the stage, as he took a theater workshop from which he retained some valuable lessons: "They teach you how to breathe, how to project your voice, and those are things you learn for life."

During his professional training, in the eighth semester, he received the news that he had a cancerous tumor in his knee. The battle against the disease was tough, but his family and friends provided support that kept him from falling into despair. It was then that he turned tragedy into comedy.

"Maybe it was a mix of naivety, insolence, and even irreverence in not fully understanding the gravity of what I was facing, but I just thought, 'You have to keep going.' There's no other option but to try and turn it into comedy. I think it's crucial to realize that circumstances like illness, crime, and violence can take away a lot, but there's one thing that's truly yours: your sense of humor, your laughter."

Hugo Alberto shared, "I wanted a name that projected laughter, that showed you can be happy despite adversity, but also one that kept a bit of the Mexican wit." From the moment when "Cojo Feliz" first took the stage, 12 years have passed, and he emphasized that he wouldn't change a thing.

"The Polytechnic is undoubtedly my alma mater. You don't just go there to learn; you begin to shape yourself as a human being. I always carry with me the values it instills, like the idea of 'Technology at the Service of the Nation' and the Decalogue, 'I am a Polytechnic student because I demand my duties before my rights.' These become part of your lifestyle."

To current Polytechnic students, he advises always pursuing their dreams. "Always follow your heart; the answer lies there. Stay true to yourself, your values, and what you truly believe in, and that's where great things start to emerge. Wherever you go and whatever time you find yourself in, as long as you've stayed true to yourself, there won't be anything you can regret in the future."

Gaceta Politécnica #1811. (July 31st, 2024). IPN Imagen Institucional: Read the full magazine in Spanish here.