Taylor Odlozil had planned forever with his wife. But this widower’s life is forever changed, and he shares the last thing his wife told their son before she passed away from cancer.
He had spent years dreaming about a lifetime with his wife Haley–the woman he loved more than words could express. The two had met as teenagers, and were building a life together like so many young couples do. Their plans were filled with hopes for the future. But in the blink of an eye, those dreams turned into something far more devastating. Haley found herself battling ovarian cancer. Taylor found himself planning a funeral for the love of his life.
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Together, Haley and Taylor Odlozil shared their journey through cancer with their online community. Somehow, Haley knew she was losing this battle. In her final days, Taylor focused on getting their son, Weston, to understand that she was going home to see Jesus. Her son would miss her, but only for a little while in this lifetime.
"I told him, 'Jesus is coming and I want you to know that your mother fought really hard,'" he said. "I wanted him to understand... I want [him] to know that it's nothing that [he] did wrong, you know, because kids will blame themselves."
He recalled the final moments with detail and said, "I got real serious and I said, 'Look at me, son. You're an incredible son and the reason that your mother is here right now is because of you and that she's fought this long because of you, and there's nothing that you did wrong. You have been a perfect child for us and it's just going to be me and you soon. I'm going to need you and you're going to need me.'"
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The pair clung together as they surrounded Haley with their presence and love and waited for her moment to pass from this side of heaven to the next.
Taylor said, "She just kind of like came to out of nowhere and looked at Weston and Weston said, 'I love you, Mommy.' She said, 'I love you too, Weston,' and that was the last thing she ever said. She slipped into a coma state for the next few days."
Can you imagine how powerful those three little words are and will continue to be in Weston’s life? Those three little words can make ordinary moments of life extraordinary. They have the power to remind our loved ones we care. And when time seems to stand still, and life hangs in the balance, these words hold power beyond measure. For Weston and Taylor, those words became Haley’s final echo of her love and a promise that her love would remain with them in their hearts and for the rest of their lives.
In the end, ‘I love you’ is more than just a phrase; it’s a thread that connects us to those we love and binds us for a lifetime. Just like Jesus and the cross, these words in life and death are the most powerful words we can give.
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1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."
h/t: People
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/taylorodlozil