New love is beautiful, fresh, happy and exhilarating. There are butterflies flitting about in her tummy when she thinks of him. He gets nervous at the thought of officially asking her out on a real date.
Grasping each other’s hands to hold for a sweet second sends a jolt through the body. A simple smile holds a future full of promise.
But what happens when that relationship is put to the test? Many significant others would head for the hills when things get tough instead of sticking around.
Not Max Allegretti.
At the tender age of 25, Jillian Hanson received devastating news.
The up-and-coming professional had dreams and aspirations, and the love of her boyfriend Max. But with just three gut-wrenching words, Jillian’s world was turned upside down.
“You have cancer.”
Jillian had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her plans were suddenly up in the air, but one thing the Woodbridge, New Jersey, woman knew was that she wasn’t about to make Max endure this potentially life-threatening ordeal with her, too.
She knew fully well that she faced an endless stream of doctor’s visits, medical procedures, tests, nausea, vomiting and possible hair loss. It would be a journey on which she’d never ventured and quite frankly didn’t want to.
While she would love to have Max’s support and love through what would be the most trying time of her life, she understood if he wanted to go.
She wouldn’t ask him to stay. In fact, she would push him away so that he could live his life without worrying about her.
Jillian sat Max down and braced herself for the heart-to-heart they were about to have.
But Max wasn’t having any of it. There was no way he was leaving his college sweetheart to face the battle of a lifetime on her own.
“It was like barely even a discussion.”
Max quickly became Jillian’s rock. He was her solid source of support, an unwavering light during a dark time.
The love of her life didn’t leave her but instead was by her side for every single chemotherapy treatment she endured.
“I thought it was going to be very difficult, it was not. He told me he felt like he loved me more after this experience. I definitely felt closer to him because he stepped up in a way that you might expect a caregiver.”
On Feb. 28, Jillian arrived at the hospital for her last day of chemotherapy. A huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders as she walked into the room ready for her last session. She was full of hope.
Her family and friends were present, ready to help her celebrate. Jillian had no clue that Max had something else up his sleeve.
She glanced at Max, the man who had been her biggest cheerleader, to see him drop down on one knee.
“As soon as they pulled my last line out of my arm, that’s when I looked over and he surprised me by asking me to marry me.”
They had briefly flirted with the subject of marriage before this moment and knew they wanted to be together forever, but in Jillian’s mind, she needed to wade through her breast cancer battle first.
Instead, approximately one year later, Jillian and Max were standing before family and friends, exchanging vows and pledging their love for one another through sickness and in health.
They were even blessed to be given a free wedding sponsored by wedding planning business LLG Events after the company’s founder Lauren Grench learned of their heartbreaking story with a beautiful ending. Lauren had met the couple at a cancer fundraiser. Even Jillian’s wedding dress was donated.
“Cancer’s really difficult, and it’s a really difficult journey and it’s not made for everybody to stick around and stay. I think that it’s really awesome when you do find that person.”
Today, Jillian is in remission and is sure to get her check-up every six months. Congratulations to the new couple and continued prayers for Jillian to receive good news at her checkups.
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