Man Dies 30 Hours After Marrying the Love of His Life

Heartbreak turns to heartfelt, and a sad memory turns into the most treasured one of them all. That is exactly what this story will teach you. A terminally ill rugby union player, Navar Herbert, had a different approach when it came to traditional weddings. And while we are definitely used to shedding a few tears here and there at weddings, this story will make your eyes bawl out! No matter how used you are to heartwarming stories of a couple getting a chance to unite in a wonderful ceremony, this is going to be a heartbreaking story since a couple married but the husband died 30 hours after the wedding.

Navar Herbert’s Story

Kyrie’s father, Navar, faced a tragic battle against cancer after experiencing headaches when Kyrie was just a few months old. Despite being a fit football player, Navar’s health declined rapidly, leading to his untimely death, leaving his wife Maia devastated.

Navar Herbert, a 22-year-old man from Otorohanga, faced a heartbreaking battle with rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive and highly malignant form of cancer. The disease had spread to his brain, and he received the devastating diagnosis eight months before his passing on June 25, 2019.

Despite the challenging circumstances, Navar and his longtime love, Maia Falwasser, decided to exchange vows in a heartfelt ceremony on the Gold Coast. Their wedding took place at 4 pm the day before Navar’s passing, making it a poignant and bittersweet celebration of love. Tragically, Navar succumbed to the illness just 30 hours and 34 minutes after saying “I do.”

Navar Herbert’s Wedding

The video captures the sweet moments before Navar and Maia’s wedding. His buddies are there, helping him get ready and then rolling him outside to wait for Maia. When she shows up, he is all smiles and lets her know how much he loves her.

As Maia makes her entrance, the emotion in the air is palpable. In a heartwarming display of love, Navar takes her hand and shares heartfelt words expressing the depth of his affection. Despite the challenges he faced due to his illness, these intimate moments showcase the resilience of their connection and the profound significance of their union.

After the wedding ceremony, family and friends came together to perform an emotional haka for the newlyweds. The atmosphere was charged with emotion, and Navar Herbert became visibly moved, tearing up during this powerful and heartfelt tribute.

The Viral Video

Following Navar’s passing, Navar’s wife, Maia, shared this poignant video of their intimate backyard wedding ceremony. The emotional footage captures Navar, visibly ill, as he is lovingly assisted by his family to get ready for the event. He was then taken to the ceremony in a wheelchair, where he greeted his wife-to-be with the heartfelt words: “Hello, my wife, hello, my baby. I love you.”

A close friend of the Herbert family is the main person to credit for this heartbreaking yet heartwarming video. DEE TEE Vids & Humour (Bradamon Band Official) uploaded the video to YouTube, and it is a definite tearjerker! The person behind the video commented: “Thank you everyone for your beautiful comments and well wishes. I am a good friend of the Herbert family. This video was filmed and developed so we could help raise money for his return to Aotearoa, New Zealand.”

Navar Herbert’s Last Wish

Navar Herbert’s final wish was to be laid to rest in his hometown of Kotahitanga Marae. Besides wanting to share a lovely moment between the couple, the video was also filmed for a different reason. Maia shared footage of their wedding day on a GoFundMe page. The page was created to raise funds for the transportation of Navar’s body back to his hometown of Kotahitanga Marae in New Zealand. In her heartfelt message on the page, Maia expressed the heaviness of her heart after losing her best friend, husband, and the father of their son. Despite the difficult time, she found strength and solace in the overwhelming love and support from friends and family.

In the heartwrenching tribute on the GoFundMe page, Maia expressed: “Today my heart is heavy and sad, I lost my best friend, Husband, and the Father to our Son.”

However, she clarified that she still felt the love. Maia mentioned: “I feel absolutely showered in LOVE by friends and family, this is a hard time, however, I do find my strength and refuge in everybody’s support.”

Navar Herbert’s Wedding: The Aftermath

One year after the passing of Navar Herbert, his mother Vanessa shared the family’s challenges with Daily Mail Australia. Following his death, his wife and son relocated from Queensland to New Zealand to be near her family. However, Navar’s parents, Vanessa and Cameron, have stayed in the Gold Coast, which Vanessa described as a difficult situation. Vanessa expressed her longing to see her son Kyrie. He strongly resembles his late father in terms of personality, being cheeky, smart, and clever.

Vanessa described the past year as a blur marked by numerous tears. She told Daily Mail Australia:

“I cry all the way to work, I cry all the way home. There’s songs that come on the radio that I can’t listen to because they just make me cry. He’s left a big mark on many hearts.“

Vanessa mentioned that the past year has been tough on Navar’s wife, Maia, and she is facing difficulties and challenges. She claimed: “She’s struggling. They were together for three years. She was only 17 when they got together. She thought they were going to be together forever.”

Additionally, Vannesa then added this for Navar: “He was built like a brick … for someone who’s that strong guy and then all of a sudden they can’t walk, they can’t talk … It’s a very hard thing for someone so young to go through.”

Navar’s Son Reacts

On Kyrie’s first birthday, he attended his father Navar’s burial, which took place on July 2, 2020. However, this year promises to be a more joyful occasion, as he will celebrate his birthday with a dinosaur-themed party alongside his Kiwi family, according to Vanessa. She also mentioned that she and her husband, Cameron, had initially planned to travel to New Zealand for the unveiling of Navar’s headstone. However, due to ongoing COVID-19 border restrictions, they have been unable to make the trip. They have decided to postpone their visit until March next year when it should be safer to travel.

This situation definitely teaches us a valuable lesson. No matter what the circumstances are, if you truly love someone, you can definitely make it happen. And while this story is heartbreaking, it shows the commitment of both Navar and Maia to eternal love.

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