This news spurred Erica and her female partner, Hendrehet Stone (42), to get married as soon as possible.
The Springs couple tied the knot in the reception area of the Life the Glynnwood Hospital on Tuesday, September 15.
Speaking from the hospital, Hendrehet said hospital staffers heard that Erica’s wish was to get married to her partner.
“She loves me very much and wanted to get married to me before something bad happens to her, and to know she was mine, even it it was only for a short while,” said Hendrehet.
What resulted was a wedding with all the traditional bells and whistles; including a purple wedding dress and veil, cup cakes, guests and a priest.
Staffers of the hospital arranged the wedding in six hours.
Hendrehet told the City Times her partner walked down the aisle with her brother-in-law and had tears in her eyes.
Due to her ill health, she married her partner of three years while seated in a wheelchair.
The Springs residents met three years ago, on the social networking app Mxit.
Two days after their virtual meeting, the pair met in person.
Hendrehet said she was immediately in love when she met Erica.
“She is just a very sweet, soft and innocent person,” she explained.
Hendrehet planned a surprise proposal in April, and asked the question on Pennington Beach, on Natal’s South Coast.
Erica, a mother of two, has been battling cancer for five years, since she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Her right breast was amputated, but it was too late, as the cancer had spread to her liver.
Despite receiving chemo therapy, the cancer is still present.
Erica received her last chemo session on August 27.
Her condition is now deteriorating, but Hendrehet said she is still praying to God for a miracle.
“God still does make miracles come true,” she said.
“It’s very emotional, but she is prepared.
“She said over and over that the Lord can come and take her – sometimes she asks that the Lord comes and takes her because she is in so much pain.
The 42-year-old said she has put in leave at work and spends long hours at the hospital every day with the love of her life.”
The two have been making videos at Erica’s bedside in the hospital, which will be shown to her children long after her death.
