I'll share - and I thank you for asking. I grew up in South Jersey, the middle of five kids. Went to college in North Carolina, went to law school in Washington, DC, married my high school sweetheart, who turned out a really bad husband. Had a wonderful daughter, divorced my bad husband, moved back to South Jersey, met my darling Roy and married him 12 years ago. His three great kids and my one great kid made us a very great family for these past 12 years. And we still are, because these kids are amazing and strong and are taking care of me in some ways now!! A few years back I began a gradual career change from law into culinary arts -- I'm still working at my day job but have a weekend job I love as a pastry chef. My darling husband Roy was a financial advisor, hockey player, and fantastic cook. He understood me like no one has every before. He supported my ideas, my beliefs, and my hopes. Together we bought a home on a little lake, and for us, pure joy was simply sitting out back and enjoying the view. Together we planned to someday do something in the culinary field, after we "retired" from our day jobs. But on October 29, 2014 Roy passed away after a heart attack at age 51. While nothing prepared me for that day, in my heart I knew the whole time we were together that our connection and our life together was very special and I really did have gratitude every day for what we had together. I won't say that I knew it couldn't last, but I will say that all along I knew each moment was to be treasured and I did treasure it. My next chapter will consist of taking good care of myself so that I can enjoy the rest of my life, whatever it may bring, and also taking time to keep on having gratitude for any and all joy that comes my way.

My husband and I met in our junior year of high school when he asked me out in American History class. Our friendship grew into love and we married after dating for 5 years. He worked for the State of New York and I worked in a hospital Emergency department. Our 2 children grew to adulthood and we had retired to enjoy our "golden years. "
We had saved and were ready and excited to begin the next page of our life when he developed back pain. He thought it was a pulled muscle from working out at the gym. When it wouldn't heal he saw a doctor and found out he had end stage lung cancer. Ten weeks later, he died at home with his family at his bedside.

I planned to find a life alone, but met a wonderful man about 4 years after who I fell in love with and we committed to each other. You will find a topic here written by cliffskat entitled two hearts. That will explain the rest. I will bring the top back on the present board. Sharon

Sam and I met later than many couples: he was 42; I was 50. We worked toward the time when we could marry and live under the same roof. Unfortunately a tragic accident prevented that from happening. I have written a single journal entry here on W&W that tells our story.

Thanks, ramar, for wanting to know more about all of us!

Martin and I met in 1976 at university. I was 17. He was 23 but an undergraduate as it took determination to finally get into veterinary science (a vet was all he had ever wanted to be). We lost touch for more than 25 years during which he married, completed his doctorate in veterinary anaesthesia, had 2 kids and divorced and I established my career, travelled and enjoyed work and life but didn't find anyone I couldn't live without (so didn't marry). Martin located me through the Internet finding a paper I'd written and emailing me on my birthday :) We married on my birthday in 2006 and enjoyed 8 extraordinary years of marriage. Martin was a keen cyclist and very fit. On April 25 2014, he was riding his bicycle and was killed by a hit and run driver.

I was born in NJ. I am the middle child of a single father and was raised under the ever watchful eye of the Italian community. I remember we lived in a 2 bedroom apartment and my dad was a maintenance man by day and went to school at night to get his teaching degree. I went to college in upstate NY and met Mike. I was his math tutor. We were married a few months following graduation. I was teaching math and he was going into real estate. Kids came quickly and I never did get a chance to stay home with them. We started our own agency and things went really well. Then one day Mike had a seizure and was taken to the hospital. Brain cancer...not much time left. He died at home. I was expecting our 5th child. Now I have made it through the four year mark and I carry on with my children. I still run the business and went back to school...law school. I finally decided what I wanted to be when I grow up. I am blessed for every day I had with Mike and the wonderful children ha gave me.

Maggie

I had been engaged twice before to a couple of cheaters when he came into my life . This was at a time when I really did not want anyone in my life and he was the complete opposite of the type that usually I was attracted to. I was rude to him upon meeting him but he persisted and there was something intriguing and in the end, it was meant to be and I finally found out the true meaning of Love, respect and trust in a relationship. It truly was a partnership.
We met in September 1987 and married in May of 1990... He was 30 and I was almost 25. There were legitimate concerns that we may not be able to have children of our own , issues with me and also from his having had Cancer at 22. faith intervened and in 1991 we were blessed with our baby boy then two years later with our baby girl. Life as a family was awesome then in 2009 ,2 months after losing his father , my husband went into kidney failure and we almost lost him. He pulled through but screwed up tests failed to give us answers on why it had happened. In October 2012 he went into heart failure. Again we almost lost him but 9 days after being in the hospital, once again he was sent home with being told "It was probably a bug" . This time he did not bounce back and no answers came even though he was getting worst . Christmas day 2012 I had to call 911 and he never came back home . We finally did get some answers on January 15 th 2015 . It was Cancer , it was terminal and nothing could be done. 8 days later on January 23rd , 2013 he was gone and my kids and I were left to pick up the pieces.
It has been years , I am taking it one day at a time and give quite a bit of my time to volunteer work while being a student to become an Educational Assistant and finally have post high school education.

Gary and I met in high school and married the year after I graduated. We started out in a single wide trailer in a trailer park. He worked in the coal mines and I worked at a bank and attend college classes. We never had children due to miscarriages and tried to foster. We built our home in 1997, but tragedy struck. In 1998, Gary was in a catastrophic mining accident that crushed his face and head. Gary had 20+ surgeries and would continue with his wonderful upbeat personality, even though he was disabled he did more than most healthy people. He had such determination and was a perfectionist. I finished by business degree, continued working. Gary was diagnosed with black lung in 2007 and was in the lung transplant program at Duke University. He had been part of the program for 3 years and from testing appeared to be a good candidate for transplant. He was looking so forward to getting new lungs and had dreams of what he would do when he could breath. In September 2011, my mom, who was the secondary care giver for Gary, was diagnosed with a rare liver disease. Naturally, my attention was torn between the two. Gary loved my mom like his and I traveled 4 hours each way every other week and worked a full time job for the 3 years my mom lived. Mom passed in March 2014, My father in law passed in July 2014. Both of theses losses hit Gary and I hard. Gary had many hospital stays with his lungs and then came home. It was part of the disease. He became sick at Christmas (I still have some of his presents he didn't get to open). Gary developed pneumonia and passed away early Jan. 2015. Neither of us expected this, his body could not fight with the underlying lung disease. I miss him so, he was my true soul mate! We had a wonder relationship with mutual respect, love and goals in life. There will never be another.

I met Susie when a friend of ours set us up. We were in our early thirties and dated for awhile before getting married in 1982. I had been married before and had three kids with my first wife.
Susie was a teacher who taught elementary school for thirty plus years, and I worked in the local auto factory. We were a good match, she was smarter than I am and I depended on her good sense. She tolerated my faults and that's why we were married for so long.
Susie had lots of health problems over the years, the main one was blood disorder that was chronic. She also developed heart problems which we treated for a couple of years. Susie was very brave during her ordeal, and continued to do the things she could. She went out with her friends several times in November. On Thanksgiving Day she complained of chest pains, and died on the way to the hospital.
I am kind of lost without her. I go through the days trying to keep busy. I enjoy Daily Strength, knowing that others are suffering too makes my own problems seem a little less painful. I'm glad I had the thirty two years with her, it made my life wonderful.

I have enjoyed reading your stories - thanks for sharing. I was blessed to have a 50 yr. marriage with my husband who died 6 yrs. ago. I stay on DS to hopefully encourage new widows; I still recall that raw pain of the early days. Frank was 74 when he died of leukemia, and I was 70.

I am old enough to be mom to many of you - 76. I didn't realize that so many people died in their 40s & 50s till I joined DS. I have a son who is 51 and this brings the young age home to me.

My husband had a couple of yrs. of terrible illness before the leukemia. During that time he had a stent placed in the renal artery, with severe complications. Then digestive tract surgery - half of stomach removed; Plus 2 heart attacks & later 4 bypasses on heart. He looked like walking death after all this - had lost 80 lb., and we had spent much time in the hospital. He gradually regained strength , but was never very well after all that. I learned to be a nurse by "osmosis" - and was thankful for the strength to do it. One period of 6 wks. he could not eat or drink anything, and was fed by IV pump at home. I had to learn to hook up all the tubing etc. and we got thru all that. Finally, we were able to go on short trips to visit our daughter in TN and other friends & relatives in La. That was a really good time.

We had a trip planned to Branson, MO with good friends in Sept. 2006. He went for his 6 mo. checkup and his blood test indicated problems. In about 3 days they notified us it was AML leukemia - get to the hospital immediately. We were both stunned -- WHY THIS NOW? However, we both had faith and knew that God had been with us through all the previous hard times. Leukemia required much hospital time and trips to the cancer ctr. for blood and platelets. He lost his hair 3 times - and it came back every time. He was in remission for a few months - and this was so encouraging!

We were able to have a small 50th anniv. celebration at our church just before the last hard months began. It is a cherished memory. He wanted every drug the dr. would try, but finally she said there was nothing more to do. He lived one week after that - at home - & died at home. He was helpless for only one day - what a blessing. I thought I was "prepared" for his death because I knew from diagnosis that leukemia in an older person is usually terminal. However, I suffered the same pain, lack of ability to focus, etc. etc. that everyone here has been through. We just aren't able to prepare for such a loss, whether it is early or late in life, a sudden event or a long illness. I know that our faith in God sustained us both during all these yrs. of illness. We have a supportive "church family" and were on prayer lists in churches in several states. This means a lot when you are in such a struggle.

I was retired before Frank's hard years began, and we were able to enjoy life. We have a son & daughter and 4 grandchildren. I still live in our home we moved into in 1973 (it's getting a little old) and am thankful to be in a beautiful lake community with very good neighbors on either side.

I wish everyone here peace and joy in your life.
Doye

Our story is a long one. Met 23 years ago, when I was 20+ and he was 26 in Oxford England, me from rural New England. Romantic walks in the rain, pretty intense chemistry but the timing was off.
We kept in touch. Each of us in and out of relationships, I had my first son.
Then, ten years ago we reconnected, found we were both available, and made up for lost time. My now 7 year old Tommy came along a couple of years later.
Our 9th anniversary was a few days after he was hit by the car and put into a coma. Visiting him in the hospital a few times a week, he came out of the coma, finally started to regain consciousness, recognised, regained the ability to talk, even asked me for a kiss a few weeks before his heart gave out.
So many things point to us having been meant for each other, fated. It is still so hard to believe he's gone.

I met Morey when I was 18 years old and he was 25. It may sound corny but it was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT! I fell for him the moment he smiled. Big dimples, big blue eyes and smart, so smart when he spoke! Kind, smart and handsome.....what more could any woman ask for!

We met in August, were in engaged in September and married in April.

I'm one of six children. My parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters all liked my amazing man. Life was so good for over 40 years. 3 children [2 girls and a boy], 7 grandchildren, life was so good to us!

Morey retired in the 1990's with a pension from being a journeyman plumber and real estate investor. I continued to work because we decided I would build-up my pension too so that in 2014 I would retire and we'd go traveling full-time. We'd buy an RV and travel anywhere and everywhere!

I came home from work on a Friday in March, 2013 and Morey was in the bathroom, after 20 minutes I called to him, he answered and said he wasn't feeling well and needed some time. I waited 20 more minutes and still he didn't come out. The door was locked, I put a paperclip through the hole in the door and opened it up. He was laying on the floor. I immediately went to him and he said to leave him alone, he was trying to get up, "close the door" he said, in an angry tone! I did and waited a few minute, nothing........I called 911.

He was taken to the hospital and after much testing, it was decided that he had had a central nervous system stroke and could NOT walk. His vitals were all over the place and he was suffering with confusion. He didn't know who he was, where he was and only recognized some of us. He was in and out of ICU after his vitals crashed and 15 days later he passed in the middle of the night.

Morey had been a vegetarian, had watched his diet, his exercise, his weight, EVERYTHING.......and, he had become a vegetable himself! It was a nightmare, a living nightmare to watch my healthy, beautiful man be rendered so helpless, so needy! WHY!

We didn't call each other during the day to check in and that's something that I will NEVER do again......if ever I have another relationship in my life......we will call each other at least once a day! Morey and I allowed each other lots of room.......maybe too much room!

Roz