About Sales Director
Jenn Price does not proclaim to be an expert on dating…but her years of practice (and willingness to share stories) will certainly get people talking. Join in the dialogue each week as Jenn tackles matters of the heart.
What if you had just met the love of your life and then found out they were terminally ill and only had a few years (at most) to live?
Would you marry him and have a child, knowing with almost 100% certainty that you would become widowed and a single-mother at a young age? No matter how you look at it, it’s a heart-wrenching decision to have to make, and one that is truly, just not fair.
Until recently, such scenarios were so far removed from my personal bubble that I assumed they existed only in movies or novels. Last month however, I attended a man's funeral whose life ended too soon, and on the day before his son’s first birthday.
This is a true love story, one that will be etched in my mind forever.
Once the brain tumor diagnosis was official, despite surgery and treatment, the newly in-love couple was given a 2 to 5 year window before the unthinkable (and inevitable) would occur.
The pair was so connected that they decided to get married and have a child, even though the odds dictated that their family time would be cut short. They decided to celebrate what they had with each other (a love so strong and rare that not all people are fortunate enough to experience), and live every moment to the fullest. They just wanted to be normal, for as long as they possibly could.
Their love and celebration for all things beautiful within the world, now lives on through their baby boy. The grieving family is blessed with a little angel that provides them with the opportunity to see their loved one in a renewed sense. They can take some comfort in seeing the world through the eyes of an innocent child, who may not grow up to remember the short physical time he had with his father, but he will take bittersweet comfort in knowing he is his legacy.
I wonder, would I have the kind of strength and courage it takes to make a choice to marry and bear the child of a man that is terminally ill? I can only imagine that with a love so strong and deep, that there would not be a choice. And the illness, in some ways, could be seen as a means to appreciate every waking moment, and a constant reminder to never take anything (or anyone) for granted.
With love and admiration, this post is dedicated to the Lovegrove family.
What is the most memorable love story you've ever come across?
If someone you know has been struck with a Brain Tumor and/or if you'd like to help the cause, please donate to: The Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada