“The week before, we were celebrating our 8-year wedding anniversary and my 5 years being in remission from my fight with cancer. For 5 years, we held our breath – hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. The week before Brad’s ER visit, we finally exhaled. We talked about our future. Whether or not we wanted kids. Where we’d retire. And then, Brad started having fevers and night sweats, symptoms I was all too familiar with.”
‘It’s gonna be ok.’ Brad pulled me in to him, tears rolling down his cheeks. My mind couldn’t process.’: Wife loses husband to sudden Stage 4 cancer after beating her own cancer 5 years prior
‘I heard there was a plane crash. Is he OK?’ I was in a cell phone lot with my children, absolutely frozen.’: Woman tragically loses pilot husband in Indiana plane crash, ‘I am honored to be the wife he chose’
“It was just another flight plan headed to Chicago, where my parents reside. I’d been anxiously awaiting to pick up my husband from this flight. We had finally set aside a weekend kid-free. Our hotel was booked, and it was just US! I parked in the cell phone lot at the airport awaiting his text to ‘pull around’ while the kiddos sat in the backseat. I received a call, but I didn’t answer. As soon as it went to voicemail, I got a text. ‘Andrew isn’t answering his phone.’”
‘It can’t be him. My life can’t go on without him.’ It was 10 days before his return from deployment.’: Marine wife mourns fallen hero fiancé on what would’ve been their wedding day, ‘I will stay strong for you, carry on your legacy’
“I remember every text I sent him that day, with no reply. I’ll never forget the terrible gut feeling I had when I found out 3 American soldiers had been killed. It was windy and the trees were blowing, as if Ben was giving me a sign. ‘It can’t be him, it’s finally our turn.’ I remember trying to go to sleep that night, but was tossing and turning. And then came the pounding on the door at 1 a.m.”
‘We’re losing her.’ Her body was getting colder. She started coughing with a gurgling sound.’: Husband describes ‘the worst day of his life’ saying ‘goodbye’ to his beloved 30-year-old wife dying of terminal cancer
“The nurse looked right at me. I knew our time was getting short. As she started getting weaker, I picked her up and carried her to bed. The hospice nurse told me to start talking to her, and not stop. ‘I love you. I love you so much. Thank you for being in my life,’ I kept telling her over and over. I wish I said more that evening. I only made 2 calls that night.”
‘I am tired of being in pain.’ He started to cry. I was so oblivious to it. I thought he was better.’: Air Force husband overdoses on pain pills after suffering PTSD, ‘I’m too young to be a widow, I’m only 26’
“Gavin came home from work complaining he wasn’t feeling well. I brushed it off thinking he had the flu. ‘I want to go lay down.’ He then called my name. ‘I think I need to go to the hospital and get checked out.’ I started down the hallway with him in front of me when he passed out. My mind raced the whole way to the hospital. I knew this was serious. After the doctor’s questioned him, he finally confessed. As soon as they walked out, I knew it wasn’t good. ‘We’re so sorry. His body was too weak.’”
‘Scott, a 30-year-old picture of health, was on the Treadmill before work. The cleaning lady found him.’: Woman loses Border Patrol Agent husband to sudden heart attack, finds new partner who ‘allows me to love 2 men at the same time’
“‘There’s been an accident.’ Silence. My doorbell rang. 6 uniformed agents were at my front door. ‘Leave your daughter here, they will watch her, you need to come with me.’ I was hesitant, but sensed the urgency in their voices. No one knows how long he had been laying there. I froze. I kept thinking it was a joke. Scott was a huge prankster. I just kept hoping his eyes would open.”
‘I’m not scared to die, I’m scared to be forgotten. And I’m worried about you.’ I had no words, just tears.’: 28-year-old widow gets sign from husband in heaven, ‘I’m okay Mama Bear, I made it, I’m now pain free’
“He was slowly beginning to wake. I couldn’t wait to see his big brown eyes. I wasn’t expecting the first thing out of his mouth to be, ‘So, how did things go?’ I still hadn’t come up with the best way to tell him. I knew I wouldn’t be able to lie. The room once again was silent. ‘Kyle, I love you. We will get through this together.’”
‘You said ‘had,’ I interrupted him. He looked at me and stuttered. He didn’t correct himself.’: Pregnant wife loses high school sweetheart in motorcycle accident, toddler son ‘asks for Da-Da constantly’
“When he didn’t show up after work, I began to worry. It was dark now, past our son’s bedtime. Finally, we found him. In the ICU of the hospital. I jumped out of the car at the ER entrance, ran to the elevator. ‘Walk, please!’ the security guard called after me. A young man finally came out to speak to us. He was talking in past tense.”
‘Ma’am, I’m sorry but your husband is deceased.’ The officer found drug paraphernalia. My world crashed.’: Husband leaves wife, toddler behind after fatal overdose
“When I met Danny, I had this crazy premonition one night. I said to myself, ‘This is going to be a tragedy at some point.’ Fast forward 3 years later and he was dead. The last time I saw my husband was that Saturday morning. He gave me a hug and said, ‘I love you babe.’ He left and never came back. He was found in his vehicle.”
‘The officer asked, ‘If you’re a nurse, why are you with a junkie?’ They searched for ‘evidence.’ My person was gone.’: Woman says love of her life died of addiction because of ‘shame, stigma’ surrounding the disease
“I baked cheddar scones — they were Jared’s favorite. I took a nap. When I awoke, it was dark outside, and he wasn’t in the house. He said he’d gone out for air. When he came back, he went straight to the bathroom, yelling at me to ‘mind my own business.’ He never talked to me like this. His voice dripped with anger. I don’t know why, but I listened. I got in my car. When I came back, the washing machine was running. He’d started my laundry. I walked through the kitchen and that’s when I saw him face down in our living room.”
