When Adam met Hollie, she was his nurse at the hospital in Thousand Oaks, CA where he was receiving treatment for Lyme disease. Over the course of a year, they spent hours together, three days a week, during his treatment. During that year, the two fell deeply in love.
After kicking that disease, Adam spent more time with Hollie and her son Joshua. The couple even decided to take things to the next level by moving in together. Then, tragedy struck again: Adam was diagnosed with ALS. The prognosis of someone affected by the debilitating disease is grim. Each day is a fight against their deteriorating body. But, as Hollie explained, that never changed the way these two felt about each other.
“He tells me right then and there, ‘I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want my last days seeing your face, kissing your lips, sleeping by your side. I understand if you don’t want this burden on you. But if you want me, I want to marry YOU. What do you say?’”
She, of course, said yes.
While the disease took its toll on Adam, eventually forcing him into a wheelchair, they planned their perfect wedding day.
The outside ceremony and indoor reception were both free of any bumps in the road that could get in the way of Adam’s wheelchair.
“He whizzed by greeting everyone in his wheelchair upon each person’s entrance,” Hollie says.
Hollie remembers the whole day going perfectly, even though the awful disease was never far from their mind.
During their first dance, “In My Life” by The Beatles, Hollie sat on his lap with her arm around his neck while he rolled them in circles.
After the ceremony, her cousin surprised them with a hand painted sign to hang on the back of Adam’s chair.
After the wedding, Adam adopted Joshua (who only ever knew him as “dad”).
The newly minted family began their limited time together.
In October, 2013, Adam passed away.
But Hollie has no regerets. She remembers Adam’s strength and passion, how he would say, “I may have ALS, but God knows I’m going out with a BANG!”
(H/T: Elite Daily.)
Their incredible story is one of the truest examples of love conquering all, even in the face of such extreme adversity.
