When Chad learned about my son Allan, he became scared. He did not have much experience with children . . . but hoped someday he would be the father he always dreamed of, much like his own father Charles. In September 2001 he proposed to me on the beach of Atlantic City.

Through all this time, Chad was having extreme back pain that they told him was from a slipped disk in the spine but nothing slowed him down. He was always a trooper.

As the back pain became unbearable he went in to have a Cat Scan and a biopsy of tissue in the back area. I remember it all so fresh in my mind, he said, “It will be ok, and nothing will bring me down.” As time passed we anxiously awaited the results, as they came by phone from his doctor, that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Even then, he came home and still stood strong on his words, “It is just a bump in the road and we will get through this together as a family” In March of 2002, he had surgery to remove the tumor mass where the cancer originated from and then started chemotherapy not too long after. After the surgery and before chemo, he shaved his head to put on his “game face” as he always called it.

Through the treatments he remained strong and willing to fight as they told us that this is one of the most curable cancers for a male. After the final regimen of chemo in September 2002 he felt weak but picked up the pieces and moved on. He was followed very closely after this all through routine blood work, Cat Scan and other tests, as everything remained stable.

As we began to make arrangements for a May 2003 wedding, we became more and more excited to spend eternity together.
 

When he arrived home, he collapsed on the floor. We picked him up and rushed him down to the hospital, come to find out the cancer had spread throughout the back and chest area. From then, we went to New York for more intense chemotherapy. At the time, Memorial Sloan Cancer Center was giving a clinical trial that matched his profile.

As we sat down with the doctor for the first consultation, he made us aware that we would be spending the next few months living in Manhattan, New York while Chad underwent high dose chemotherapy. We became heartbroken knowing that our May wedding would not happen as we plan but still remained strong because they kept telling us this is such a curable cancer. So we called Marjeane Caterers and asked what could we do. They were willing and able to work with us, and we were able to move our wedding date to September 27, 2003. As Chad started going through the chemo, he became very fragile and weak but still was the same man that I met and I knew that one day we would become one in holy matrimony. We left New York in early July to plan for our September 2003 wedding, as he did not want to wait any longer.

He started back at Fox Chase to be closer to home as an outpatient; where everyday he would be given chemo on an outpatient regimen.

Through the tough days, Chad and I never had bad times. When things were not so good, he always passed a smile and said, "Please stop crying, it is going to be ok.. I promise"

Although I do not feel as if he broke his promise I just question "why"

The times that I had with Chad were a true blessing, as I know it takes many people more than a lifetime to find true love and Chad and I had it within our first year. I will take his strength, love and courage with me always. He taught me how to be so many things, all the while he struggled to spend the days with his family and me. I am glad that he had the opportunity to be a father and a husband as he always dreamed to be.

Chad met a lot of people through his battle that helped him move forward and not give up. He touched everyone he ever came in contact with and that to me is a true blessing.
 

Rest in Peace and we will all be together again. WE LOVE YOU