Love conquers all, right? Well, at least that’s what one loving couple still believes. A New Jersey couple married last week after the 51-year-old groom was dealt with a deadly cancer diagnosis.
Pierre Freeman, 51, was told by his doctors that he only has one year left to live. He was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor several years ago and is now undergoing treatment for lung, liver and bone cancer.
His new wife, Melanie Gaskins, told ABC News they are hopeful their love will beat the unfavorable odds against them.
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“We just don’t accept [he has one year to live],” she said. “He was diagnosed in 2008 with a brain tumor that was the size of a plum tomato and he’s still here from that, so I just can’t accept [the diagnosis].”
The pair, who proclaims to be “foodies,” said they met in 2005 at a barbeque.
“He jumped up and asked if he could get me a plate of food, but we got to talking and I never got that plate,” Gaskins recalled.
After being together for a year, Freeman began to rapidly lose his vision and losing weight.
“His doctor said he was diabetic,” Gaskins said.
As Freeman’s vision continued to worsen, Freeman went to the hospital where a doctor found a brain tumor so advanced it could not be removed.
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“That word, inoperable, I couldn’t understand what he meant by that. And I’ve been to college and graduated law school. It freaked me out. It was unimaginable,” Gaskins said.
Gaskins said she and her new husband are looking forward to their future together and plan to travel.
“He is my superman,” Gaskins said.
Indeed, at their wedding last week in Philadelphia, Freeman wore a superman t-shirt and socks beneath his suit.
As for the future, Gaskins has nothing but excitement.
“We used to be ‘foodies,’ but not anymore since Pierre got the feeding tube. Now we want to travel. He’s really excited about the possibility to travel. We want to go to Italy, so we’ve been planning a way to make it happen.”
“It’s just not his time,” continues Gaskin while remaining hopefull. “It’s not his time. He has something to teach everybody, how to grow and how to overcome your problems even when you think they are insurmountable.”