Warning: This article contains discussion of cancer which some readers may find distressing.
A bride in the UK tragically died on her wedding day just hours after saying 'I do' to her husband.
Jade Tabrar, 37 and Adam Kemp, 42, tied the knot in a small ceremony on November 3.
Sadly, mom-of-five Jade had been diagnosed with stomach cancer in August 2023. The couple decided to get married after finding out that Jade only had three months left to live.
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The childhood sweethearts, who had been together for 19 years, married at home and Jade passed away in her husband's arms just hours later.
"She looked me in the eye and said she was so glad to be Mrs Kemp and have our family," said Adam.
"Then her head slumped and I knew her soul has left. She had gone."
He added: "We stayed there, our heads touching and I said: ‘I love you, baby. It’s okay, you can go now no more pain.’
"We stayed like that for a while, just us. It was the most amazing day - such a perfect day. I got to finally marry the most beautiful woman in the world.
"I love you forever and always, Jade Louise Kemp."
Jade had been diagnosed in August 2023 after she lost four stone, suffered stomach pains and struggled to eat during her pregnancy.
Doctors initially put it down to the strain on her body, but after welcoming her baby boy in 2023, Jade found the issues persisted.
She went for tests and was diagnosed with Stage 2 stomach cancer, which progressed to Stage 4 within weeks, while Jade was waiting to begin treatment.
"It floored her," said Adam.
“It made her so ill and so sick, but she was so brave and just kept going, fighting the cancer all the way.
"And all the time being an amazing partner and amazing mother.
"We always knew we wanted to get married – we were soulmates and wanted to be together forever.
"But because we saw so many people marry and then split up after a few years, we always joked that we’d wait until our 20th anniversary and then have our big dream wedding."
In May, the couple had some good news - Jade was told she was stable and could stop her treatment.
However, tragically, she deteriorated and in September, tests revealed the cancer had spread to the womb and ovaries.
"She was so strong. She started a bucket list and all she wanted to do was make sure the children had the best Christmas," said Adam.
"But deep down she knew she wasn’t even going to make Christmas."
The couple also decided to plan their wedding and along with a hospice team, organised the paperwork, registrar and all the food and decor for the special day.
"The end was coming so quickly. We knew we didn’t have long," Adam continued.
"The registrar came to our house because Jade was so poorly.
"She was wheeled up the hallway then I wheeled her into the room. I knelt down beside her during the ceremony so we could be on the same level.
"We said ‘I do’ and she reached up, brushed my tears away and said ‘Don’t cry, I love you’.
"Everyone there was in floods of tears and said they have never seen a wedding filled with so much love."
When the guests left, Adam changed Jade into her pyjamas and they chatted about some of the memories they cherished together.
"Then her breathing changed. I called Willen Hospice and they came out, checked her, and said it wouldn’t be long," he said.
"I knew then that I would lose my soulmate on the day I married her."
Jade passed away at 10.45pm, just hours after saying 'I do'.
The mom had previously set up a fundraising page to help with completing her bucket list. This has now been updated to help the family with the financial costs of the funeral.
You can donate here.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].
Lucy Devine