After nearly 35 years together, Donald and Renee Hudman recently decided to make their lifelong partnership official, prompted by heartbreaking news they received during a hospital stay: Donald’s cancer was spreading, and there were no curative treatment options remaining.
Donald, 59, was diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer in May and had been undergoing treatment when his health took a sudden turn. In late June, he was transported by ambulance to UT Health Carthage before being transferred to UT Health Tyler. There, doctors discovered tumors that had spread to his brain, requiring surgery.
Over the course of three decades together, the couple built a life and raised a son, but they never felt marriage was necessary.
“We always said it was just a piece of paper. It didn’t change the way we felt about each other,” Renee said. “Then when he got sick, I told him if anything ever happened to him, I would never be with another person because he was the one I was supposed to spend my life with.”
As Donald’s condition worsened, he shared one final wish: to marry the woman he loved.
When the couple’s care team at UT Health Tyler learned of those plans, they sprang into action. After Renee mentioned the upcoming wedding to Patient Safety Advocate Carrie Ralston, team members worked together to create a meaningful ceremony inside the hospital.
The hospital hallway became a makeshift aisle as Renee, dressed in white and carrying a fresh bouquet of flowers, was escorted by an administrative resident to meet her groom.
“These people didn’t know us, and our family couldn’t be there, so they’ve become part of our family,” Renee said. “It was so wonderful. I wouldn’t have had it anywhere else. They made it so sweet and so special.”
Fighting back tears, she added, “It was amazing. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
For the UT Health Tyler team, helping fulfill Donald’s final wish was a privilege.
“It’s because of this care team that we got to help turn a devastating moment into a lasting, beautiful memory for them,” said Annie Dixon, assistant administrator at UT Health Tyler. “It’s putting into action our mission of caring for our patients, our communities and one another.”