After overhearing a terminally ill patient talking about his dream wedding, the staff at Massachusetts General Hospital set up Stephen Ruma’s room so he could marry his fiancee April Rae on September 2nd.
“Whatever time I have left, I want to spend it with April,” Stephen told PEOPLE on Sept. 26, the day before his death at age 70.
Despite the heartbreaking circumstances of his 42-day hospital stay, “I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful wedding,” April, 60, said during their joint interview. “He is my best friend. He is my travel partner. He is my business partner. He is everything.”
In September, doctors told Stephen – who has survived three heart attacks since March – that there was nothing more they could do. They offered to turn off the machines so he could say a gentle goodbye. But Stephen told doctors he wasn’t ready – and wanted every moment he could with April.
The couple have opened up about their “rare” and “very special” love story, hoping to inspire others to make every moment with their loved one count.
“I hope people find the love we have and hold each other tight,” April said.
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April and Stephen met in September 2018 when she became a home health aide to his now 102-year-old mother.
At the time, Stephen was divorced, while April was separated from her husband of 30 years. He thanked her for taking such good care of his mother, and soon hired her on weekends.
“Steve and I became best friends,” April added. “It started to become more because we loved his mom. And one day he kissed me.”
As for their relationship, Stephen wasn’t attracted to just one thing. “I love everything about her,” he said.
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Stjepan and April of Rum.
Courtesy of Stephen and April Rum
They started talking about the wedding from the very beginning.
“Steve and I fell really hard, really fast,” April said. “We just knew.”
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The couple originally planned to marry in May 2024 on a beach in Maine. However, the wedding plans were postponed due to Stephen’s health.
In 2019, Stephen — who had type 2 diabetes and was on dialysis — was diagnosed with kidney cancer, which eventually metastasized to his lungs and lymph nodes. Then in March he had his first heart attack.
However, good news came in June 2023, when Stephen’s doctor said his cancer was in remission.
“We were overjoyed — we were ready to pop champagne,” April said, sharing that they told family and friends at his 70th birthday that month. “He felt great.”
They even took a vacation together to Myrtle Beach to celebrate their anniversary. “It was wonderful for us,” remembers April. “We were so happy.”
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Stjepan and April of Rum.
Courtesy of Stephen and April Rum
But a few weeks later, he suffered a second heart attack. Despite taking precautions – including eating heart-healthy foods – he suffered a third heart attack on August 13.
“I was very very weak. I had pain on my left side. My left hand tingled and went numb,” he recalled.
As his health deteriorated, April rushed him to the emergency room on August 15.
“The doctors couldn’t believe how bad his blood tests were,” April recalled. “All his organs were shutting down.”
But Steve wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
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“He says, ‘No, I’m going to keep fighting,'” April recalled.
“I don’t want to give up,” Stephen said. “I want to continue as long as I can.”
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Stjepan and April of Rum.
Courtesy of Stephen and April Rum
At the end of August, when the doctors said there was nothing more they could do, a nurse overheard the couple talking about getting married. “‘Why wait until next year? Why don’t you go to city hall?’” April suggested.
But Steve said he wanted a beautiful beach wedding.
“The nurse said, ‘We can do that here. We can help you with that here,'” April recalled.
So on September 2nd, the medical staff decorated Stephen’s hospital room with a wallpaper of ocean pictures and beach balls. As another special touch, the couple enjoyed their favorite limoncello cake.
Being married to April meant “everything,” Stephen told PEOPLE.
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Less than four weeks later, the doctors told April to call their family and have them come say goodbye.
As April lay next to Stephen in his hospital bed, she played all their favorite songs to dance to, from “Fly Me to the Moon” to their wedding song “Come Away with Me”.
His last words were: “I love you forever – and I’ll see you on the beach,” she said.
“We cried. And I told him to take his father’s hand,” she added.
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Stjepan and April of Rum.
Courtesy of Stephen and April Rum
After more than a month in hospital, Stephen died at 4:55 pm on September 28.
The funeral was held on Wednesday and a GoFundMe was set up to help cover the costs of his long hospital stay.
“I’m lost,” April told PEOPLE hours after his death. “He was my love. I love him so much.”
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Source: HIS Education