A new mother has described how her husband died just three weeks before their first child was born.
Jonathon Wells, aged just 28, from Derbyshire, died of cancer on New Year’s Eve 2022. Three weeks later, his daughter Ophelia was born.
Jonathon and his wife, Sarah, had only been married for a month when he started experiencing cancer symptoms.
Sarah found out she was pregnant the same day Jonathon suffered the devastating blow that his cancer was terminal. It was so advanced that doctors couldn’t tell if he had colon or liver cancer.
Now, Sarah and family members have planned three fundraisers in his memory.
Jonathon Wells, aged just 28, died of cancer on New Year’s Eve 2022. Three weeks later, his daughter Ophelia was born. Pictured the day he got engaged to wife Sarah, right?
Pictured: Sarah now with her daughter Ophelia, who was born three weeks after Jonathon’s death
The couple got engaged in 2020 and tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony in November 2021 after four years of dating
Sarah, 30, says: ‘Jonathon couldn’t wait to be a father and it breaks my heart that he will never get to meet his daughter. She is the image of him, and it is a great comfort to me that he lives on through her.’
Sarah and Jonathon met online in 2017 and she fell in love with both him and his golden retriever, Cooper. Jonathan, an award-winning chef, wooed her with his cooking skills.
Sarah, a hospital division coordinator, says, “He cooked for me at his house, and it was a three-course meal, the sort of thing Gordon Ramsey would produce. It was amazing.
“Jonathan also specialized in handmade chocolates, and I was chief taster.”
Although Jonathon had ulcerative colitis, his condition was well controlled and he was fit and healthy. He was also diagnosed with liver disease, but was assured the complications would stretch years into the future.
Sarah says, “Nobody would ever know that Jonathan had colitis. He worked 12-hour shifts, he was full of energy and fun.’
Jonathon proposed on Sarah’s birthday in 2020, and the couple got married in November 2021. But the following month, Jonathon developed a severe stomach ache.
Five months later, in May 2022, a scan revealed a tumor in his gut.
Sarah says, “While it was shocking, we understood he could have surgery, possibly an ostomy bag, but he would be fine.”
But days later, further tests showed that the cancer had already spread and was beyond cure.
The doctors weren’t sure if the primary cancer was colon or liver cancer. Jonathon’s condition had progressed too far by the time he was diagnosed.
On the same day, Sarah found out she was pregnant with their first child.
She says, “It was a bittersweet day. We were heartbroken at the diagnosis yet thrilled to be having a baby. Jonathon couldn’t wait to be a father and I think that’s why he fought so long.’
The couple’s fairytale romance came to a halt when Jonathon was diagnosed with cancer in May 2022
The couple with their dog Cooper last Christmas, just days before Jonathon succumbed to his cancer
Medics arranged monthly scans so that Jonathon could be involved in the pregnancy as much as possible and watch their daughter grow up. Together they chose her name, Ophelia.
At 30 weeks, Sarah went into premature labor, possibly caused by stress. Fortunately, her contractions were stopped during a hospital stay.
But Jonathan’s health deteriorated and he was in and out of the hospital for the rest of the year.
Sarah says, “Jonathon was incredibly strong. While receiving chemo, he decorated the nursery. Another day, with a picc line related to chemotherapy, he cooked a family barbecue.
The couple received the crushing diagnosis from Jonathon seven months after their 2021 wedding, pictured
The couple enjoys a beach day together. The hospital organized monthly scans so that Jonathon could be as involved in the pregnancy as possible
Jonathon and Sarah stayed positive after his cancer diagnosis, pictured, and Jonathon amazed his wife with his resilience
His resilience was amazing. Even on Christmas Eve, he planned to cook Christmas dinner; he made lists and drew tables and schedules.
‘As a chef, he was a perfectionist.
“In the end, me and his brother, Matt, prepared Christmas Eve dinner and we had to take every dish to Jonathan for his approval, which he rarely gave!
“For Christmas I bought him a bracelet that says, ‘Best dad ever, lots of love, Ophelia.’ Which I still wear today.
Jonathon was hospitalized again on December 27 and Sarah was warned that he was entering end-of-life care. She stayed with him until his death on New Year’s Eve at the age of 28.
She says, “I was absolutely devastated. The hospital staff were all amazing, so caring they couldn’t do enough for us.’
The pair made the most of their remaining time together before Jonathon was re-hospitalized to receive end-of-life care
Sarah gifted Jonathon a bracelet that read, “Best Dad Ever, Lots of Love, Ophelia” for his last Christmas
The labor was induced, just over a week early, and baby Ophelia was born perfectly healthy, weighing 6lb 8oz. Sarah was supported by her sister, Melissa, and her mother, Sharon.
She says, “Ophelia is her father’s image, which is a comfort, but sometimes it also breaks my heart. I know he lives on through her, he looks down on us. But it feels very cruel for her to grow up without him.’
Ophelia was born three weeks after her father’s death in January, pictured, and is being raised by Sarah with the help of her mother and sister
Sarah revealed that Ophelia is the spitting image of her father, which has been both a source of heartbreak and comfort
Sarah and her family have planned a series of fundraising walks and hikes to raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis UK.
The first, a 10 km trek, will take place on June 16. After that, Sarah’s 10-year-old niece, Evie, will take a walk in the Lake District on July 9. The family also plans to complete the National Three Peaks Challenge.
Sarah says, ‘There are so many people who are affected by Crohn’s disease and colitis, but there’s no cure, there aren’t many treatments and there isn’t really anything for them in terms of support.
“We hope that our charity walks, in memory of Jonathon, will change that somewhat.”
You can donate to Sarah’s GoFundMe here.