‘I’ll be a widower before I’m 30′: Man whose fiancee has terminal brain cancer reveals why he didn’t walk away after learning she was dying BEFORE their first date

A man has revealed the heartache of knowing that he will soon be a widower after falling for a woman with a terminal brain tumour.

When Andy Bell, 26, exchanges vows with his fiancé Anna Swabey at their wedding in September, promising to be with her until death do them part, he knows that day is likely to come within the next two years.

Andy, an electrical maintenance engineer from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, proposed in December 2015 knowing that his marriage would be a tragically short one – but was determined to make Anna his wife if only for a few years.‘I’ll be a widower before I’m 30′: Man whose fiancee has terminal brain cancer reveals why he didn’t walk away after learning she was dying BEFORE their first date

What makes their love story even more touching is that Andy has known, since before their first date, that Anna was terminally ill.

He recalled: ‘We met via the dating app Tinder in February 2015, and after a week of messaging and texting one another, I suggested meeting up for a drink. 

‘I could see from her profile picture Anna was absolutely beautiful, and her messages had been so witty and funny, I couldn’t wait to meet her in the flesh.

‘It was then she dropped the bombshell that just a month before, she’d suffered a massive seizure and been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. 

‘I could see from her profile picture Anna was absolutely beautiful, and her messages had been so witty and funny, I couldn’t wait to meet her in the flesh.

 ‘She texted saying: “I’ve only got three years to live. I’ll understand if you don’t want to meet up.”‘

While some may have balked at the thought of dating a girl who was terminally ill, believing it would simply be too painful and difficult to have a relationship, Andy insisted he still wanted to meet Anna. 

‘I was so shocked when I read her message. Who expects to get a message like that from a 24-year-old girl? I couldn’t believe such a terrible thing had happened to someone so young.

‘But I immediately messaged back saying it didn’t change anything for me, I wanted to get to know her,’ he remembers.