An Edmonton woman battling terminal cancer fulfilled a lifelong dream Saturday: meeting Garth Brooks.
The country music superstar first entered Tanis and her husband Chris Post’s life 25 years ago, when they were just 18-years-old.
The couple had just started dating and decided to take a roadtrip to visit Tanis’ aunt in Vancouver.
On the way, they stopped at a McDonald’s for a quick bite.
“We get a Big Mac combo and they give us a free Garth Brooks tape,” Chris Post explained. “Okay great. One truck, one tape, one trip. Let’s go! So we played one tape for 3,000 kilometres there and back and we really grow a bond.”
A few years later, when Brooks came to Rexall Place – the couple were sure to get tickets. They admit to not being the biggest country music fans – but they’d never miss an opportunity to see Brooks.
“His music means a lot to us. Him generally, just his persona, his positivity is amazing. His love for his wife – it’s very similar to our story,” Chris Post said.
The past few years have been challenging for Tanis, to say the least.
Six years ago, she suffered a number of strokes, ending up in the Glenrose hospital for rehabilitation.
Then, in 2015, she was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. That diagnosis quickly took a turn for the worst.
“After the biopsies it became stage four terminal cancer. It had moved to the lungs and the liver. So it’s travelling and went into the lymph nodes. It got a lot worse,” Chris Post explained.
After going through chemotherapy, the couple was dealt another blow.
Two months ago, Tanis started having terrible headaches.
“You know it’s bad when the doctor closes the curtain,” Tanis Post recalled.
“There were tumours in her brain. That’s what was causing the headaches,” Chris Post said.
She spent three weeks at the University of Alberta hospital where she underwent brain surgery to have three of the tumours removed.
His wife’s health struggles have taught Chris some valuable life lessons.
“You really have to just take each day as it comes. We’ve been together 25 years. We’ve had a good many days, good and bad. We fight through it,” he said.
“Enjoy the day for what it is. Don’t get too far ahead of yourself. Don’t worry too much. Tomorrow’s tomorrow. Live for today.”
So before heading into rounds of radiation, as Tanis enjoys a brief reprieve from the hospital, the couple won a contest from CISN Country to meet the musician they say wrote the soundtrack to their lives.
Chris knows exactly what he wants to do.
“Walk up to him, shake his hand, look him in the eyes and say, ‘hey man thank you for being part of our life. You really are.’ He doesn’t even know us and he’s been such a big part of our lives,” he explained.
“I want to share our story and know their story and just find out that we probably have a lot in common – besides bank accounts,” he joked.
The pair arrived for the concert at Rogers Place in style with a few friends, courtesy a bus limousine from Blue Sky Limos and after meeting Brooks Saturday, they will also be treated to dinner at Louisiana Purchase.
After everything she’s been though, Tanis is keeping her head held high.
“I’m not done torturing you yet,” she said jokingly to her husband. “We’re going to be together forever.”
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