A North Carolina man who’s terminally ill renewed his marriage vows to his wife only days before he could die from a rare disease.
Tony and Christy Leonard, who have been married for 12 years, renewed their vows on Friday. Tony suffers from a rare stomach cancer and is under the care of hospice nurse Brooke Tedder, who also helped them plan the vow renewal.
“On her (Christy’s) blog she mentioned that she and Tony were supposed to grow old together and renew their vows,” said Tedder, according to 6ABC.
“Her first initial reaction was, ‘Brooke do you think he’s going to make it?'” Tedder told 6ABC, describing a conversation she had with Christy. “You tell Tony you are renewing your vows Friday and Tony is going to make it. So here we are.”
6ABC reported:
In the living room, friends and family stood close, passing around the tissues as they waited for the bride.
Tony, who’s been mostly bed-ridden, stood to his feet to hold his wife’s hand as she sobbed her vows.
“I, Christy, vow to keep you Anthony as my friend and love. Beside me and apart from me. In laughter and in tears,” she said.
Just like twelve years ago, there was a toast.
“How about cheers to eternity? You save me a place, you hear me?” Christy laughed.
“They say in sickness and in health, you know and this truly tested in ‘in sickness and in health, in richer or for poorer,'” Christy said. “I just wanted to make sure that he knew no matter what he’s always going to be the love of my life.” (RELATED: ‘Those People Got Very Angry’ — Tucker Rips ‘The View,’ Other Critics Of His Marriage Segment)
“I will keep fighting until I can’t fight anymore,” Tony added.
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