A widowed wife was heartbroken after her husband died from COVID-19 just two days after beating cancer.
Husband died of COVID-19 after beating prostate cancer
Eugene Courtney, 63, contracted the coronavirus days after he survived prostate cancer. His wife, Kim Courtney, 61, said she was "totally empty" after he passed away three weeks of being diagnosed with COVID-19.
The couple, who is married for 13 years, celebrated Eugene's victory over prostate cancer on January 4. Still, the great grandad suddenly fell ill two days later and was immediately sent to hospital by ambulance.
Eugene had suffered from a heart attack, as per doctors at Royal Lancaster Infirmary's belief. However, further tests revealed that he contracted coronavirus. Days later, Eugene was placed on a ventilator to save his life as his condition rapidly deteriorated. The great-grandad struggled to breathe on his own, and his kidneys were failing, The Sun reported.
After hearing her husband; s' final words, Kim was left feeling 'totally devastated.' Eugene said to Kim, "Don't worry wee woman, I love you."
Eugene's wife thought "nothing bad" could happen to them after he beat cancer, but the worst had already passed. On January 28, Eugene passed away after 18 days in the hospital.
In his final moment, Kim never left Eugene and held his hands for almost two hours after he passed as the woman "didn't want to let him go."
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Grandad remains positive while fighting prostate cancer
Kim admired Eugene's positivity when he got prostate cancer, even if she thought that was the most devastating thing. She was very happy when the grandad beat cancer and felt nothing wrong could happen again.
But then Eugene became so ill, which Kim had never seen before. "It was the most difficult thing I've ever had to go through," she said.
It was just two days after they celebrated the all-clear from prostate cancer when Eugene fell ill. Kim and Eugene were married for 13 years.
"I kept telling myself he was going to make it but when I walked into the ICU for the first time and I saw all the patients I was terrified," Mrs.Courtney said.
In April 2020, the grandad was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but he kept his spirits up and said that he and Kim could 'fight anything head on' as long as they were together.
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The couple made an offer on a bungalow where they planned to retire and live their golden years while he was going through radiotherapy treatment at Royal Preston Hospital, as per Daily Mail via MSN.
They also planned to buy a motorhome and would travel around Europe together during the warm summer months. But the widow said she needed to rescind the offer to now make for Eugene's funeral. The grandmother to ten said getting bad news like that would just let you forget it. "I remember one day he just held me and started crying."
According to Metro, the grandad even promised Kim that he would have at least their twenty best years together as he put a brave face and said he would beat it.
On Valentine's Day in 2004, the couple met when Eugene surprised his future wife at the Shell garage where Kim worked as a cashier with flowers, sparkly shoes, and a teddy bear. At the time, Eugene was a taco driver who would see Kim often, but his advances failed until November that year when they shared a kiss on a night out.
In 2008, they tied the knot, which Mrs.Courtney describes as the 'happiest day' of her life. "He was the kindest, most lovely soul in the world. The love of my life," she said.
For grandma, Eugene was generous and has never thought of himself and would only think about what Kim wants and what he thought would make her happy. Mr.Courtney, who is originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, had six children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
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