I first saw Laurin on Plenty of Fish in March 2015. She had a photo with pink boxing gloves and no hair she was going through cancer. At first, I scrolled past. But I kept thinking about her. It amazed me that she had the courage to share a picture like that. So I finally sent her a message. We talked online all day and then talked on the phone that night for three hours. I don’t usually like long calls, but with her, it felt easy.
We met the next day at a Starbucks.I went as far as cutting my hair even shorter than hers. We talked on a bench nearby for over an hour. She told me about her cancer. I shared that I was newly separated and waiting on my divorce. We joked that we could either deal with our mess alone or together we ended up calling that bench our “sh*t bench.”
Laurin was moving in with her sister to be closer to treatment, and she needed help moving. She said it would take a lot of trips in her small car. I offered my truck. She argued at first but let me help. That night, after we loaded up her stuff, she kissed me for the first time.
From then on, we were nearly inseparable. Even during her radiation and surgery, we made time for each other. I even kept her dog at my place. After a few months, she moved in and got the amazing news she was cancer-free.
She started school again to study accounting. I was running my martial arts studio. Life felt normal, but she wanted to live it to the fullest after all she’d been through. That August, she surprised me on my birthday by taking me to a place where I could pet a tiger, something I had dreamed of.
Over the next few years, we had so many adventures, wine country, hot air balloons, Cancun, cruises .In the following years, we shared countless experiences, from visiting vineyards and riding in hot air balloons to relaxing in Cancun and taking cruises. Then one day, after quitting her job due to a toxic boss, we packed up and went on a two-week road trip. In front of Niagara Falls, I proposed. She said yes while crying. We didn’t tell anyone right away, just took that time for ourselves.
Sadly, the cancer came back. It had spread. We were crushed, but we still held onto our wedding plans. She stayed strong, even started a clinical trial, and on our wedding day, she was glowing. Bald again, but beautiful. We danced to “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. It really was.
A few months later, we found out the trial wasn’t working. Her pain got worse. We stopped treatment and focused on making memories. Then, suddenly, one night at home, she passed in my arms.
I kept telling her how grateful I was for the love she showed me. I don’t know what she heard in those last moments, but I kept holding her hand. Nearly a year has passed, yet she’s still a part of everything I do. She didn’t lose a battle. She lived with courage and heart. I’ll love her forever.
