Moment bride, 32, weds childhood sweetheart days before he dies of cancer

06 September 2023 , 10:05

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Martin and Hollie Love ties the knot in a cancer unit at Royal Stoke (Image: Contributed)

A heartbroken mother has paid tribute to her childhood sweetheart after he tragically died of cancer just four days after they tied the knot.

Hollie Love, 32, met her husband Martin, 34, whilst they were both working at a packing manufacturer in Tunstall in the late noughties. They fell head over heels for each other and had planned to get hitched in Gretna Green next year.

But the lovebirds had to bring their wedding forward after Martin was diagnosed with melanoma in 2019, which saw his health deteriorate over time. The pair had planned for Martin to take part in a clinical trial but he was sadly told he had days left to live and passed away on August 22.

With a brave face and a heavy heart, Hollie purchased two rings and a white skirt from Asda for their impromptu ceremony. A room in the cancer ward at the Royal Stoke University Hospital was swiftly transformed into a makeshift wedding venue.

Reflecting on the bittersweet occasion, an emotional Hollie said: "It makes me want to cry, it was so happy. I felt so proud walking in with him. He didn't stop smiling the whole time and telling me he loved me. Nothing will ever top that. It was the most special day ever."

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Martin and Hollie first crossed paths whilst working at PSB Group

After the ceremony, the hospital staff rearranged Martin's room to resemble a settee, allowing the newlyweds and their family to spend some precious moments together, reports Stoke-On-Trent Live. Hollie added, "We didn't want a big fuss or a big party that was never what we wanted."

Martin, who was hoped to be included in a trial at the NHS Christie Foundation in Manchester, sadly died before he could be given the chance. He leaves behind a grieving family - his wife Hollie, their two children Imogen, 11, and seven-year-old Elijah, his mother Patricia Love, and four younger siblings Tasha, Harvey, Oscar, and Keeley.

Hollie fondly remembered her late husband and said: "He was cheeky and funny. He was just a laugh, his cheeky face. We just sort of clicked." She added, "He doted on the kids. He did everything, he loved them so much. He always knew the right thing to say to them." Martin was a popular figure at Crompos Pool Hall in Tunstall, known for his pool-playing skills. Hollie, who had been working as a domestic assistant at the Royal Stoke, had to leave her job to care for him.

In the wake of this tragedy, family friend Lyn Crompton has set up a GoFundMe appeal to help the family with funeral costs. Hollie added: "He was diagnosed with cancer so young that we had never thought of life insurance at that age. You just don't think anything would happen like this. I gave up work to care for him and he had to give up work too. It was such a worry about how we'd pay for a funeral. I said to him, 'Don't worry I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, we've got ages'. He had picked up infections quite easily and he had a few stays in the cancer centre and they always got him right."

Unfortunately, Martin's treatment that had kept him going was no longer working. "He always responded well to the treatment, we were always hoping they could control it," she said. "They said he could go on to live for years as long as the medication was working. I used to tell him every day how proud I was of him going through what he was and still having a smile. Then we got told that he’d only got a few months. They said they’d still take him on at the clinical trials. We thought he’d have months to live but he only had days.”

Hollie has been touched by people’s donations to the GoFundMe: “From the bottom of my heart, thank you," she said. Martin would be blown away that so many people care for me and the kids as well.” To donate to the fundraiser visit here.

* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up The Mirror's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Rachel Alexander