'Depleted' Man Learns He Is Cured of Stage 4 Cancer after Marrying His Love in the Hospital Room

While on vacation one day, a couple's happy world came crashing down when the man suddenly began feeling unusual. Eventually, he was diagnosed with cancer and reached a point where he lost hope. But he and his beloved never gave up on love.

Madison and Zach Stroup crossed paths in high school in 2015, and a few years later, they officially entered into a relationship. While deeply in love, they thought they had everything aligned and began focusing on building a lovely future together.

Zach was an insurance agent and a bodybuilder, whereas Madison worked as a hairstylist. Like any other couple in love, they made plans to travel, work, and enjoy life to the fullest. Little did they know what fate had in store for them.

A Life-Altering Revelation

In February 2020, the couple from Fort Collins, Colorado, was on vacation, having a wonderful time, when Zach suddenly began feeling a little unusual. Madison said he complained about painful joints, fatigue, and gastrointestinal problems.

She recounted how a teary-eyed Zach looked at her and told her he didn't want to fight anymore.

The First Diagnosis

Zach, who said he had always been healthy and into bodybuilding and never gone to the doctor, received a painful diagnosis. Two months later, in April 2020, he discovered he had Crohn's disease — an inflammatory condition that leads to swelling in the digestive tract.

Madison noted that Zach began his treatment soon afterward, but his health continued to decline. She said he was in a lot of pain, and his weight dropped rapidly.

Another Painful Discovery

One day in November 2020, Madison said he woke up with shooting chest pains and a high fever. The couple ran to the doctor, thinking the medications weren't working, but Madison said she and Zach were in for a complete surprise.

Nine months after being diagnosed with Crohn's disease, Zach received another heartbreaking news — he had Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer affecting the lymphatic system. A distraught Madison recalled:

"Cancer never crossed our minds, being 22 and 24 years old. The doctor came in, and he looked like he had just seen a ghost ... He told us, 'I believe you have cancer.' It felt like the walls were closing in."

The Intensive Treatment

Even more soul-crushing was that the cancer was stage four, and had spread to other parts of the body, including Zach's liver and lungs, added Madison. After six rounds of chemotherapy, Zach's cancer went into remission in March 2021.

Thinking that the worst was behind them, Madison and Zach got engaged in April 2021. But a few months later, the newly-engaged couple's spirits hit an all-time low when Zach began feeling lethargic once again.

Madison said she could feel it in her bones that something wasn't right. In November 2021, the Stroups found out that the cancer was back and had spread to the spine and brain.

While the tumor was successfully removed, Madison said her fiancé struggled with mobility and became extremely weak.

Till Death Do Us Part

After several months of intensive chemotherapy sessions and being in the hospital, Madison said she could feel that her fiancé was depleted. She recounted how a teary-eyed Zach looked at her and told her he didn't want to fight anymore.

At that point, Madison said she wanted to make the most of her time with Zach. Thereafter, the duo canceled their wedding plans for May 2022 and decided to marry in the hospital instead. Madison recounted:

"The cancer had taken over our whole life for the last two years. We weren't going to let cancer take away our wedding."

Marrying His Lover

It turned out that marrying the love of his life was Zach's heartfelt wish too. Nikki Blanford, a psychosocial oncology social worker at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center, Denver, where he was being treated, shared:

"There was a day when Zach was truly losing hope and I asked him what his life goal was and he said he wanted to marry Maddie. I responded – 'Let's do it!'"

Gaining Hope & Positivity

With the help of the hospital staff, Maddison was able to plan a small wedding in two days. On April 15, 2022, the pair tied the knot in the hospital. The hospital's chaplain, Reverend Mike Guthrie, solemnized the couple's wedding.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the pair's family members couldn't attend the special occasion; however, they had their hospital family to support them. Zach, who was on the verge of giving up, said the wedding rekindled his low spirits and gave him hope.

Sharing Their Journey

In short videos, Madison documented her and Zach's journey on her TikTok account. In one of her viral clips, she revealed how she and her then-fiancé had no idea cancer was invading his body while doing their engagement photoshoot. She also said:

"We didn't know how much time we had left so we got married in the hospital. We planned our wedding in 48 hours. All of our hospital family showed up since our family couldn't come."

After tying the knot with his fiancée, Zach was given the clearance for a bone marrow transplant in June 2022. Finally, in August 2022, Madison said her husband was told he was in remission.

Surviving the Worst

After living through an incredibly dark and challenging period of their lives, the couple began focusing on relishing the little joys, such as cooking dinner and sleeping together. Madison said her husband's battle with cancer gave her a new perspective on life.

As of October 2022, the Stroups are back home and taking life one day at a time. They often share glimpses from their life on social media, where people send them love and support and dote on their incredible strength and love for each other.

We wish this lovely couple uncountable moments of love and joy, and we hope they continue to inspire others with their phenomenal journey. Please keep them in your heartfelt prayers.