Man with Incurable Brain Cancer Fulfills Wish To Marry Longtime Girlfriend in Heart-Wrenching Hospital Ceremony
A terminally ill cancer patient married his longtime girlfriend in an emotional wedding ceremony at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas earlier this week.
Corey Cunningham and Tyyisha Evans have been together for seven years, but between health struggles and complicated work schedules, the couple never married.
In light of Cunningham’s recent terminal stage 4 brain cancer diagnosis, however, the couple decided that it was time to tie the knot.
Cunningham, 45, was diagnosed with brain cancer in November. His bride, Evans, had just been declared free from breast cancer in October, KTRK reported.
Today, Corey Cunningham married his best friend, Tyyisha Evans. They were thrilled to find out she beat #breastcancer in October. Then in November, they learned Corey had terminal brain cancer. They’ll spend his final days as husband and wife. Story at 6 on #khou11 pic.twitter.com/ZkTbKsWaVG
— Stephanie Whitfield (@KHOUStephanie) February 10, 2020
The week of Valentine’s Day, hospital staff organized a wedding ceremony for the couple, held at Weiss Memorial Chapel at the hospital.
“He’s such a gentle soul. I just felt a connection to him,” Dr. Phyllis Chappell of the Department of Supportive and Palliative Medicine at Methodist Hospital, told KHOU.
Chappell was instrumental in the marriage proposal, calling Evans and proposing on Cunningham’s behalf.
“I wanted him to be able to realize this dream,” Chappell said.
“This is so exciting. Beyond just this moment. Just this moment of professing their love in front of their family and friends and some of the care team,” she added.
By the couple’s side for the ceremony were Evans’ sons Melvin Mock Jr., 11, Mel’Christifor Mock, 10, and their grandson Aiden Hines, 4.
Evans said Cunningham had proposed four times in the past, but she never felt like it was the right time.
“The answer was no, because Corey was always on the road with work. He’d be away from home for months at a time. I didn’t feel like we were stable enough,” Evans said.
“But being that the situation has changed and his medical status has changed, I decided to say yes. I couldn’t imagine not marrying my best friend while he was here and I had the opportunity to do it.”
Among family and friends, through laughter and through tears, the happy couple said their vows and officially became husband and wife in a ceremony that Evans said was “emotional.”
“Seeing his face made me even more emotional,” Evans said. “I could feel throughout my entire body the love he has for me — I have never, never felt it more than today.”
Uncertain of how much time they will have together, the newlyweds are making each day count.
“We will continue to laugh. We will continue to talk. We will continue to be grateful for each other, love each other,” Evans said.
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