A woman shares a heartfelt story of love, loss, and legacy for her husband, who gave it all in line for duty.
July 16, 2013, was the day their story began. Two young college mates with hearts full of love were meant to be given to each other. This is the story of Jessica and Kendall—of being hopelessly in love and then losing it all in the blink of an eye.
He was a man who lit up every room, making everyone laugh and smile. Three years into their relationship, the wait was over, and he knelt to ask the love of his life to be his forever. The event happened on their favourite spot, the Notre Dame Football field.
The couple and their family planned everything. They were sure of each other, and the wedding date was set. September 29, 2018, was the magical day! They finally became husband and wife after dating for four and a half years.
With hopeful hearts, so much love, and a planned lifetime, everything went flawlessly until life decided to show its true colours.
God had a different plan decided for them, one they were not looking forward to.
On November 10, 2017, they chose a quiet night and homemade dinner with a movie instead of meeting the DJ they had decided on for the wedding. She left his house early that night as she had to bake a dessert for a daily gathering at Thanksgiving.
He texted her afterwards, and she replied. But she never got a reply.
It was his last message.
She thought he might have dozed off, not knowing the story of these lovebirds was about to end. The phone rang, and what she heard next shattered her into a million pieces.
Her father’s shivering voice indicated that something wasn’t okay. ‘He didn’t make it.’ He said. Jessica thought it was her pregnant sister, but it was Kendall. He passed away.
Kindall was a volunteer firefighter. The night Jessica left, he responded to an accident a few miles away from his home, and the moment he was about to get in his car, he was hit. A fellow firefighter mistakenly struck him!
Ten minutes after the last text, Jessica heard the news that felt like a nightmare she would soon wake up from.
Jessica still chose to wear the wedding dress, but it wasn’t for the long—awaited wedding anymore.
She posed beside his fire gear, boots filled with flowers, his pet dog, and his grave, accepting that Kendall would never return.
The pain she was going through could get better with nothing, but she chose to honour him, to showcase their love to the world, and to become an inspiration for all the lovers out there.
Not just this, she also arranged a memorial through which she raised more than twenty thousand dollars, which were divided and distributed, half to the volunteer fire department and the rest to a scholarship fund.
Is it not what true love looks like?
Kendall was the perfect son, brother, fiancé, coach, and mentor, and his memories have been imprinted on the hearts of his loved ones forever. Although they didn’t get to walk down the aisle together, he is in her heart forever!
