I held my wife's hand as she died. It was the most painful moment in my life, but also the greatest gift.

I held my wife's hand as she died. It was the most painful moment in my life, but also the greatest gift.
Yahoo!Life; by Juan Cruz, Jr.; 4/13/25

• My wife was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer and was only given a year to live.
• When she died, I held her hand until she took her last breath.
• Although it was a painful moment, being there helped me grieve and taught me resilience.

My world came crashing down around me when my wife and I heard the word "cancer." It was terrifying for both of us. At the time of the diagnosis, our daughter was just 2 years old. ... The day she passed, I was with her at the hospice. I was sleeping in a chair next to her. I still remember what I was wearing that day: black jeans and an orange sweater. It was around 5 a.m., ... As I continued to hold her hand, I buried my head in the bed and began to cry. Being there when my wife died was a gift. I was there for her last moments, and she wasn't alone. Just like I was there in the labor and delivery room when our daughter was born, I was able to be there when she passed. It was a great sense of privilege that I was able to share those last moments with her in that hospice room.