Terrance “Terry” Nichols, 51, faced devastating news after nearly a year of being repeatedly misdiagnosed with arthritis. On January 16, he was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer. This forced him and his fiancée to cancel their wedding.
Tragically, the aggressive disease rapidly became metastatic, spreading from his lungs to his bones, liver, adrenal glands, kidneys, bladder, and brain. Despite the grim prognosis and very little time remaining, the couple remained determined to say “I do.”
“We are absolutely shattered to dust,” Terry’s wife, Caitlin Nichols (née Butler), told People. “We found out two days before his birthday.”
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Following Terry’s diagnosis of “extremely aggressive” stage 4 cancer, he and his 41-year-old fiancée, Caitlin, made the difficult decision to cancel their planned November 27 wedding. Terry was admitted to Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, New York, for pain management and radiation treatments, and the couple cited the uncertainty of his prognosis as the reason for calling off the ceremony.
Despite calling off their wedding, Terry and Caitlin didn’t want to give up on their dream of officially tying the knot and becoming husband and wife. So, they made the heartfelt decision to exchange vows just a few days later on January 24, holding an intimate and meaningful ceremony at the hospital’s interfaith chapel, surrounded by close family.
“Having the wedding canceled and changed to the hospital was a very emotional day for all of us,” Caitlin recounted.
Caitlin’s father, who is an ordained minister, had the honor of officiating the ceremony. Her mother, who has been her “boulder” and source of unwavering strength during this incredibly tough time, walked her down the aisle. As a beautiful gesture, her mother even lent Caitlin her own wedding veil from 51 years ago, adding a layer of history and sentiment to the intimate hospital wedding.
“The best part was having my parents’ blessing and marrying my soulmate surrounded by the people I love most,” Caitlin said.
She shared a clip of the emotional ceremony on TikTok and expressed her unwavering devotion to her husband, saying, “I love this man with every breath in me, and I will love him thru everything, good and bad, and sickness and health. I’m so proud to be your wife.”
Currently, Terry is hospitalized and “fighting for his life.”
The couple began a GoFundMe campaign last month to raise $4,500. According to Caitlin’s description on the fundraiser page, the donations will support them through their “long, difficult journey.” She explained that Terry was the family’s “provider,” as her ability to work is restricted because she cares for their “special needs little boy.”
She wrote, “We need help with expenses for his medical care, getting him back and forth to clinics, and home bills, as I will now be the caretaker for him, our little boy, and our other children at home. I know how loved Terry is in our community, and now’s the time he needs our full support. If you’re unable to donate, please share and send prayers.”
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