A Mesa, AZ Love Story

Love Story

Mar 24

On March 27, 2022, Sheila and Tom will stand before family and friends to renew their vows after 30 years of marriage.

Sheila and Tom have known each other since they were children growing up at the same summer family camp. For their whole life, they would see each other for a week in the summer and then go back to their respective hometowns. Because of the four-year age difference, neither person ever thought of the other as a potential love interest.

It wasn’t until Sheila was 21 and Tom was 25 that things changed. They were both back at family camp and Sheila offered to drive Tom home at the end of the week. They hit it off immediately and were married just 6 months later. That was 30 years ago.

The couple went on to have three children. In 2006, when the oldest was 11 years old and the two youngest were just three, Sheila found a lump in her breast. She went in for a mammogram and received clear results. Six months later, however, the lump had grown considerably, forcing her doctor to perform a biopsy. Sheila was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She underwent a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. While incredibly difficult, the treatment worked, and she went into remission.

In 2014, Tom and Sheila moved to Arizona to provide Sheila with a better climate for her body. Unfortunately, in 2016 her cancer metastasized to her skull and bones, 10 years after her initial diagnosis. She underwent an incredibly complicated 15-hour craniectomy and is currently back on chemotherapy. Sadly, she has faced multiple complications and side effects and struggles with constant pain and fatigue.

We love this sweet couple and their beautiful story and are thrilled to grant their wish for a 30th wedding anniversary vow renewal. We’ve joined up with a wonderful planner in Katie Dionne of Je T’aime Weddings and Events and are so excited to see what she has in store.