Image: WENN
Sandy and I have been following this story for a while and it is just heartbreaking. The strength it took them to air her story through the media and everything. Her and Rory had such a strong faith and with her only being 40, this has to wake you up.
We also found out they met in Feb 2002 just like us and they got engaged 2 months later so they moved fast just like us and then they were married 2 months after that so they were married 4 months after meeting and Sandy & I got married 8 months after meeting so their story resonates with us so much!
We will always remember this because today was a special day for us as today made 14 years since the day we saw her other face to face for the first time. Our heart breaks for the family! They marriage was truly inspirational to us!
Rory shared on bis blog This Life I Live:
“My wife’s greatest dream came true today. She is in Heaven.
The cancer is gone, the pain has ceased and all her tears are dry. Joey is in the arms of her beloved brother Justin and using her pretty voice to sing for her savior.
At 2:30 this afternoon, as we were gathered around her, holding hands and praying.. my precious bride breathed her last. And a moment later took her first breath on the other side.
…as we were gathered around her, holding hands and praying.. my precious bride breathed her last. And a moment later took her first breath on the other side.”
Rory continues, “Though this is, and has been, a time of many tears of sorrow, it has also been a time of countless tears of joy. There have been too many beautiful moments to count or even begin to share in this blog. But I try.
“When a person has been through as much pain and struggle as Joey’s been through, you just want it to be over. You want them to not have to hurt anymore, more that you want them to stay with you. And so, it makes the hard job of saying goodbye just a little easier.”
This is a wake-up call to everyone that life is short. None of us know when our lives will pass from this earth when God will call us home. Imagine for a second that you are in Rory’s position and you found out that your spouse was going to die? What would you do?
Would you change your life for him or her? Would you say things you have been holding back? Would you tell them every day how much you love them?
Don’t wait for this type of situation to happen, do it now. Take your spouse by the hands and tell them how much you really do care. Tell them how much you appreciate them. Tell them how much they mean to you because if you don’t the day could come when you won’t have them anymore.
Everyone is going to die at some time, we just don’t know when that will be. Too many people go through life thinking it won’t happen to them then find out it is happening to them. Slow down and smell the roses. Slow down and spend time with your family. Slow down to figure out where God wants you because the faster you go through life, the less you are going to enjoy it.
I pray that anyone reading this will use Joey’s story as a reason to get up in the morning and live life. Use her story to go do things that you normally would not do. Use her story to change your life because in the thick of things, until we change, nothing really changes!
Our hearts and prayers go out to Rory and his friends and family! May God be with you all through this tough battle. We can’t imagine what you went through and what you are going through right now but you are in our prayers that are for sure!
Chris & Sandy Benton
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