(NewsNation) — Terminal cancer patient Jonathan Pascual defied the odds by completing the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You An Ironman is a test of endurance featuring a 2.4-mile swim, a 26.2-mile marathon run and a 112-mile bike ride. Diagnosed with a rare cancer in 2022, Pascual, a nurse practitioner, told "NewsNation Prime" his participation was just him doing what he knows best — pushing through the pain while honoring the millions impacted by cancer worldwide. "I believe that when I crossed that finish line into the arms of my family, I was running for a bigger purpose," Pascual said. "There are a lot of people who have lost their fight against cancer, but there are still many more who are in the fight." 8-year-old who raised money for mother’s headstone now giving back He told NewsNation that while he has lost some of the things he loves in life, he has found "profound clarity" about how to spend his days. "All I have to do is decide how I conduct my life, and that's with gratitude, meaning acceptance, compassion and forgiveness," he said. "And I believe that my family sees that, and they are at peace and accepting that I am simply doing the things that I love to do." Find more Hawaii, Oahu, Maui and Kauai news here The 50-year-old athlete said he plans to keep running, swimming and biking as long as he can.