His parents were Zenón Sánchez Avilés and Pelegrina Hidalgo Pérez.

Served in the United States Army from 1941 to 1946, assigned to the 65th Infantry Regiment.

In the Maritime Alps as a Captain he commanded in World War II the first all-Puerto Rican military unit that engaged in combat with the enemy.

He obtained a Bachelor of Education Magna Laude, and a PhD in psychology at the Columbia University.

[2] A middle school in Moca, Puerto Rico was named after him.