With the help of a local jewelry company, an Edmonton couple is hoping for their own happily ever after, despite a devastating terminal cancer diagnosis.
Jason Storey and Stasha Vollman met seven years ago while at work and quickly fell in love.
“(We) decided to be together, raise our family together,” Storey told Global News.
Storey said their three kids have always come first, so while they always intended to get married, the money wasn’t there.
“It was really hard to budget to buy her the dream ring she wanted,” Storey said. “We kind of put it off.”
A year ago, Vollman started to have issues with her sight and went to an optometrist who discovered a tumour in her eye. She then went on to see a specialist in Calgary where they discovered the cancer was also in her lungs.
“We decided to go out for one more night before coming home to talk to our kids,” Vollman said.
“My pelvis broke,” she said.
“It turned out the cancer had spread to my bones.”
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Vollman was airlifted back to an Edmonton hospital where they discovered the cancer was also in her liver and brain.
“That month in the hospital was total hell,” she said. “I was in unimaginable pain.
“At 39, I didn’t think I would be wondering how much time I have left with all of the people I love.”
Unsure of how much time they have left, Storey said it was time to make things “official.” He approached a local jewelry store in Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre about the possibility of a payment plan to get his soon-to-be wife the ring of her dreams.
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Instead, the owners of Gold Star Jewellers wanted to make sure the couple had one less thing to worry about.
“These two are really meant to be together,” said Chantelle Hoermann with Gold Star Jewellers. “For us, just the opportunity to be a part of a special moment for them both is an honour.”
The company has custom made a 1.5-carat diamond ring for Vollman.
“I was dumbfounded,” said Storey. “It was such an amazing gesture.”
The couple hasn’t set a date yet, for the wedding or for the proposal.
Vollman will start chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments soon and she’s looking forward to planning the wedding.
“I’m excited to have some positive energy around me,” Vollman said.
They hopes their story will inspire others — including their own kids — to seize the moment.
“Don’t let saving up for a ring get in your way,” Storey said. “Don’t wait. When you are in love, let the person know.”
A GoFundMe has been launched to help pay for some of the uncovered costs of Vollman’s medical treatments.