A grieving husband has paid heartfelt tributes to his 'soulmate' wife who died just weeks after their dream wedding.
After being told that her cancer, diagnosed 18 months ago, was untreatable, Lianne Forster, 34, fulfilled her wish of marrying hubby Craig on February 17.
The Record reports how it was thanks to childhood friend John Patterson and the kindness of strangers that her wish came true. Thousands of pounds flooded in to a fundraiser he set up to help Lianne and her family.
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Lianne, from Annan, told the Standard in October: “Since I was told the cancer is incurable, I’ve struggled to get my head around it. But thanks to the overwhelming generosity of people I don’t even know, it looks like I’ll finally be able to marry Craig.”
The couple were planning on tying the knot further down the line, but decided to bring their big day forward. After hearing Lianne’s news, John started a GoFundMe page.
He said he wanted to make it possible for her to have her big day because “unless a miracle happened”, Lianne’s daughter would lose her mum and Craig’s daughter would lose her step-mum”.
Others in the community rallied round and Lianne was offered wedding dresses, photography, cakes, make-up, hall hire and many other things for the wedding. After the ceremony, she said it was the “most amazing thing to happen” because she got to marry her best friend.
After five years of feeling unwell and treatment at Dumfries Infirmary and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Lianne was eventually told she had cancer in February 2021.
But despite surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the treatment was unsuccessful.
She underwent two further major procedures lasting more than 10 hours each which left her with two stoma bags. Good news arrived last August when she was given the all clear.
But when she still didn’t feel things were right and further investigations took place, Lianne was finally told the cancer had returned and it was incurable.
She said the news had left her mum, dad, Craig, family and friends “devastated”, adding: “This disease doesn’t care who it picks on, or what age you are.”
Devastated Craig announced his wife had died on Sunday. He said: “This absolute warrior I had the pleasure to call my wife gained her angel wings this morning.
“My soulmate, my forever best friend, put up one hell of a fight and I couldn’t be any prouder of her. You are gonna be missed so badly by so many. Forever My Mrs Forster. Love you always, forever and a day. And even longer than that”.
Craig and Lianne have two girls between them. Lianne’s daughter Georgie Stitt, aged nine and Craig’s daughter also called Georgie, four.
Lianne had described them as the “bravest little girls” despite having their worlds turned upside down. Devastated pal John posted: “Your wedding three weeks ago will live with me forever and I’ll always be so grateful for being part of it.
“I’m truly heartbroken and the only comfort is knowing you’re not in pain anymore. You will always be in my heart Lianne. You’ll have the biggest smile up there darling, sleep tight precious”.
Brian Smith added: “You put up a brave fight to the very end, always the life and soul of the party with the most infectious smile and kindest heart”.
Another described Lianne as a “total diamond of a lass” and said “hearts are shattered all over this town”.
One person said she was “most definitely one in a million”, and that Annan had lost “one of the biggest hearts and smiles”, adding: “You will never be forgotten you beautiful angel”.
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