On March 21, 2022, Eunice and Ricardo gathered with family and friends to renew their vows at The Foundry in Brooklyn, NY. Sadly, this week, just five months later, Ricardo lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. This is his pancreatic cancer story.

This sweet couple’s pancreatic cancer story started when they first met on a dating website, way before dating websites were popular. Eunice was only 17 and living in Chicago and began chatting with a young man named Ricardo, who was 22 and living in New York City. They secretively chatted for a year before deciding to meet up in person. Eunice made the trip to NYC and while they were both clearly smitten, they embarked upon a wonderful friendship that lasted for 8 years. Finally, they decided to give dating a try. Eunice ended up moving to New York and they were engaged and married soon after. Two years later, they welcomed a sweet baby boy.

In 2017, Ricardo began having some issues with his stomach. While many of his symptoms could be easily explained away, his condition continued to progress. Eventually, he sought the advice of a doctor. After multiple tests, he was given the devasting diagnosis of pancreatic cancer Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer tends to have a low survival rate. Knowing this, Ricardo underwent an incredibly complicated Whipple surgery and spent many painful weeks trying to recover. He then endured six weeks of aggressive chemotherapy. This last year, his cancer sadly progressed to his lungs.

We were incredibly moved by Eunice and Ricardo’s story and were honored to help them renew their vows. To honor and support Ricardo and Eunice, we found a wonderful planner in Christine Viola and were overwhelmed by the gorgeous day that she created. From the breathtaking setting of our venue to the delicate garden flowers, stunning décor, and delicious meal, Eunice and Ricardo were treated to a magical day, surrounded by love. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as our sweet couple recited vows to one another and were toasted by the family and friends who supported them on their journey. Eunice and Ricardo soaked in the sunshine, danced with their son, and basked in the beautiful love story they have written.