A terminally ill cancer patient in Georgia got his final wish to marry his girlfriend last week thanks to the help of staff at a hospital. Alexander Santos was diagnosed with a non-seminoma germ cell tumor last November and doctors told him that the cancer is terminal. In spite of treatments, the cancer spread from its original area to other parts of the body.
Since he was diagnosed, Santos has been in and out of hospitals. Last week, he told his nurse at Piedmont Columbus Regional that he wanted to marry his girlfriend Heather, who he met in high school. The two started dating after school and have been together for three years now with a son who is two years old. Four days after Santos told staff at the hospital that one of his last wishes was to get married, he and Heather got married in a hospital room.
The hospital staff helped the couple find a wedding dress and a tuxedo as well as a minister, Fox 5 reported. They also helped the two get a marriage license, a wedding cake, and a reception.
“All we want to do is make every life special, so that even in their last moments they remember the good things, not the bad,” oncology nurse manager Ngozi Onukwue told WTVM.
Family and friends were at the hospital to celebrate with Santos and his wife. “I’m with the person I love and wouldn’t change anything for the world,” Santos said after the ceremony.
Doctors can’t tell now how long Santos will live, but they are happy that he will spend the time he has left with Heather. The couple’s family has since set up a GoFundMe to cater to Santos’ medical bills.
