This story is an odd one out, and a love like them is sure to be your couple goals yet you would never wish for their love story. Too much uncertainty for one life, still we hope, love, take all the risks and keep moving forward with every new day. Ups and downs are surely a part of life for each and every one of us, just that for some, their worse nightmare is a reality, and they've to live with it. But miracles happen when people get over their nightmare to fulfill their dreams, because of their will to achieve their dreams, which is much stronger than their nightmares. One such instance is of Jake Coates' and Emmy Collett's.
"What one loves in childhood stays in the heart forever." Mary Jo Putney, a best-selling American author once said and her words fit perfectly with the story of Jake and Emmy.
This story started when Jake and Emmy were 11 years old, the pre-teen stage of life, and both went to the same primary school. Jake was from Monmouth, Wales and Emmy from Luckington, Wiltshire and it took no time for the two to become friends instantly, however, what you won't believe is how this school friendship was soon to turn their lives another way around. It's strange how life holds the power to play with us when everything appears to be perfect, Jake and Emmy's lives are true examples of such incidents. Read on to know how!
We all had our first crush, our first love and sweet kiddish memories that last lifelong, however, a few are blessed to find their soulmates in the tender age. Emmy shared her memories in an interview stating, “My ‘schoolgirl crush’ on Jake started almost 20 years ago when we were just 11 years old. We quickly became ‘childhood sweethearts’ and at 13 he told me that I was ‘his lobster.’” referring to Phoebe's famous phrase for her friends, Ross and Rachel from the most lovable TV series Friends. Though life's unexpected happenings were about to change their lives in the least expected ways.
Their fairytale began when Jake and Emmy turned 16, "When we were 16 we finally sought the courage to fully admit our feelings for each other and we dated for three years," she recalled her young love. They enjoyed their childhood friendship for 6 years and now they looked perfect together experiencing first love's sweetness but as you are aware they are not like ordinary couples and so they'll be making a life-changing decision soon.
Remember your own days of teenage, every girl wishes for something this special to happen but Emmy was the lucky one. “You are my everything & if you still can put up with me, I will marry you one day,” were Jake's heartwarming words in a short letter he wrote for Emmy when the two were in their later teens. Jake and Emmy loved each other and how the young couple's love was blooming is clear from Jake's note, but soon everything changed because of what they decided.
Nothing lasts forever and so Jake and Emmy's high school life was soon to get over and the completion of their schooling proved to be an end of their relationship as they both were supposed to go to different universities. While many people give long distant relationships a try in such cases when they are sharing a strong bond with their partners, Jake and Emmy made a choice of parting their ways and moving further in their lives. However, rarely things go according to our plans and same was about to happen with the two.
Although Jake and Emmy decided to walk in different directions the childhood sweethearts always managed to stay in touch. Unlike the close relationship, they shared in high school which was never there again, both used to have updates about each other and kept their friendship always in the picture even after the distances. Eventually, things started to change and their effects on their lives were soon to be seen.
Jake was now a doctor and was living in Sydney, Australia, close to his workplace while Emmy was working as a teacher in London. Not similar to their get-togethers during holidays, this time somehow everything was planning to bring them together for a whole different reason and they both were unaware of it completely and when you'll know what happened next and the biggest obstacle that was waiting for them you might feel dejected. Go ahead to read how Jake and Emmy's lives were about to change forever.
For over 10 years Jake and Emmy were able to continue living their lives according to their own will and as per their plans which they were completely satisfied with. Though they never felt it too much they always had something missing but were too busy with their daily routines that they never felt enough occupied with the thought of 'something missing'. But years later, time was about to bring them face to face unexpectedly in the year 2015.
After all these years finally, Emmy and Jake came together again and this time it wasn't just their ordinary holiday meet. They realized the fact how they were looking for each other all this time like they were meant to be together and the best thing happened lately, but they realized the fact that they get along perfectly not just as friends but as partners for life. This wasn't all for them as within 6months of time the couple was about to face the biggest shock of their life.
Emmy was in London and Jake was in Sydney yet both were certain that they'll make it work going beyond all the distances as they completed each other in every way. They were connected through their conversations on FaceTime and even used to travel every now and then, just a pair absolutely in love ready to give up on anything to stay together and that's what life is all about, right? It's more about sticking next to your loved ones. We would love to know your views about it! While 10,000 miles seemed nothing to this couple as their relationship was getting stronger every day. The worse nightmare was close to coming true.
They used to talk about the future now and realized how they both want to spend life with each other and Jake knew that Emmy completes him in every way. Unaware of the future that the terrible happenings were about to leave them both devastated, Jake had the most special moment prepared for Emmy.
By March 2016, Jake knew that Emmy completes him in every way, and so he was ready to take their relationship to the next step as he didn't want to lose this girl, right by his side, this time and so he had everything planned for a proposal. He had pictured the wonderful moment already on his mind and he was just preparing for their best trip to happen when life brought them to a dead end.
The vow to marry Emmy, that he mentioned in that note in high school was now about to come true and no time would have been better than now and so he planned a trip to the Philippines where he'll ask Emmy, "Will you marry me?" on a cliff with a scenic background of fireworks. An ideal proposal! Sadly, before the trip could take place, everything went wrong horribly!
Before the couple could take off for the tropics, Emmy was in Sydney to meet Jake as she usually does. She was supposed to return to London on the next day hence, it was the last day of their time together until their next trip to the Philippines. She was spending time with her childhood love, next to the beach lying in the sunlight. They looked like the rest of the couples for the last time. As Emmy's request was about to destroy all their plans.
“We were just two people in love lying on a beach in Sydney without a care in the world… who would have known what was to happen next…” Jake remembered. That Sunday afternoon suddenly turned from a chilled-out, laid-back afternoon to a shocking moment when Emmy asked Jake to give her a neck massage, which Jake kindly accepted as it was doing something nice for the woman of his dreams, the one he wanted to spend his life with. But what was going to happen before he could massage her neck was least expected.
“We were sat in restaurant on a Sunday afternoon – a really sunny, beautiful day – and I just put my hands round her neck from behind and I knew straight away [something was wrong]. My blood ran cold,” said Jake of the day that ruined everything. He was scared as hell but he didn't want to worry Emmy but he knew this could be something very disturbing for both of them. What he noticed was enough to scare Jake as he was a doctor himself.
“You don’t want to worry someone so I didn’t shout ‘oh my God, Emmy, why didn’t you tell me about this’ or anything,” Jake further added, “I just said very calmly that she needed to have it checked out really quickly.” He decided to handle the situation wisely without panicking Emmy and himself. Emmy didn't get any sign of Jake's thoughts so far. She thought it was due to her hectic schedule that she was feeling tired. But this incident was just the visible smoke, the actual fire was yet to be identified.
“I told her to make an appointment with her GP as soon as she got home. And that’s what happened.”He tells in an interview, “I was trying to push her to go to the doctors.” Monday, when Emmy returned to London she made an appointment for the same day and went for a checkup. There wasn't an instant assurance about anything from the doctors as they wanted to get a few tests done. However, their expressions were indicating that something was not at all right.
“I was desperate not to miss our holiday,” Emmy reminisces. The reports came a day before they were to leave for the tropics where Jake wanted to propose the woman of his dreams, unfortunately, instead of packing their bags, they were waiting for the doctor to tell what the reports have to say. This time Jake was with Emmy, he left everything and flew back to England to be with Emmy.
“I was rushed to A&E with chest pains - we were waiting there for nearly twelve hours before a doctor told me the cancer stage four - it was incurable, and had spread to my spine, lungs, liver and bones.” Emmy was one of the youngest people to have this rare medullary thyroid cancer with only 300 cases in the UK in the last 12 years. Yet Emmy and Jake were not ready to give up.
Emmy's case was now transferred to Royal Marsden Hospital, to whom the couple has always been thankful. Doctors said after her neck biopsy and other tests that Emmy was now on a drug that could possibly slow down cancer from spreading. On the basis of prognosis, there were 20% chances that she could live for around 5years but Jake and Emmy were more than confident and we're looking forward to so much to come on the way!
“My symptoms first started two years ago, I thought it was irritable bowel syndrome. I left it, and left it, as you do. I didn’t want to be a hypochondriac. They told me I was stressed. I went to the doctors two or three times - but just kept getting told it was IBS, and everything was normal, it was nothing to worry about. I would have diarrhea and constipation, but I wasn’t really being taken seriously by doctors. I had a really bad period," she further remembered, “I was on a school trip and I had to go to A&E. I had blood tests, but they said everything was normal. But I left it - I reached a point where I was almost embarrassed to keep telling doctors I had something wrong with me. I just felt really silly.”
“She had been complaining about not feeling great for a while but no one had ever felt her neck,” Jake shared his experience with disappointment. It was only 6 months since the couple got back together and the misfortune was on them now, though the reports stated Emmy didn't have much time left, the couple was not convinced that this was it and a disease is stronger than their love and therefore, they wanted to make something new of their own. A paradise for the two.
They were young, they were perfect together and they were optimistic, as soon as Emmy was discharged from the hospital she had something going on her mind that she and Jake decided together and both were ready to start their journey to all new adventures soon. Emmy never seemed low, she was always full of energy and with her flawless bright smile and how she was dealing with her routine checkups and chemos was more inspiring. At the ending phase of Emmy's life she was ready to go on her new way with Jake.
“Believe it or not I am happier than ever. Love truly is the best drug and I have been totally smothered in it,” Emmy used to tell her family. She was informed that if her cancer was diagnosed before, she could have made a complete recovery from it but now it was incurable and Emmy and her family and Jake were dealing with the fact. Emmy and Jake decided to make a trip, a special trip for a special cause!
Even though the couple had the hardest time going on they never lost hopes and started moving ahead, faster than before. Emmy and Jake were ready for an adventure of the lifetime and Emmy was setting an example. Instead of being bedridden and feeling lethargic she was up for a cycling journey of 2000 km (1,242 miles) across Europe, from London to Copenhagen for a heart-melting cause, we wonder what it would be?
Emmy posted on her blog, "Never ever could we have imagined so many of you sensational people would be there to send us off. I had no words at the time (partly because I was so nervous and excited that my mouth dried out and my lips stuck to my teeth!...smooth as always) and I am struggling for the right words now." The couple indeed had a great cause behind their journey.
Emmy was getting her treatment in Royal Marsden Hospital and she couldn't be more thankful to the hospital staff that saved many lives from cancer and so the couple decided to raise funds for the Royal Marsden Hospital to help other cancer-ridden patients and successfully raised more than £140,000 (over $195,000). "It was the most phenomenally overwhelming experience...the BEST day of both of our lives," wrote on her blog when the biggest disappointment was buried in her heart.
What struck Emmy the most was the truth that due to her cancer she won't be able to conceive ever, for a girl who dreamt of being a mother one day for her whole life this was the biggest shock. However, Jake's next move not only made the pain tolerable for her but gave her a reason to look forward with more excitement.
Jake decided he won't wait anymore to ask Emmy to marry him and so he did propose her while having a sip of tea on the bed though it wasn't similar to Jake's previous plan to visit a beautiful destination. They loved each other and that's what made the moment special. Emmy's life completely changed with Jake's question, she was thrilled with the idea of marrying her childhood crush and the day was about to fill her remaining life with joy.
Emmy's mother always told her that Jake is 'the one' for her and that happened to be true when the cutest couple decided to share their lives together. They knew each other since childhood and dated in teenage and were now getting married in their late 20s They were an ideal match and honestly 'the ones' for each other.
Emmy was in charge of all the wedding plans and looking forward to her big day made her days better than ever. “People waste so many years of their life being miserable. You could be hit by a bus tomorrow - life is so short and we are determined to enjoy it. We are optimistic, looking forward to the future and looking forward to getting married,” said Emmy. In September 2016, the loving couple took their vows and everyone was in tears. They were unaware of their fate, just living their present to the fullest.
When the couple came to know after diagnosis that Emmy wouldn't be able to sunbathe again, they managed to plan a getaway for themselves; a 5 days holiday trip to Dubai. The biggest surprise that awaited the couple after their trip was the option of surrogacy, though it wasn't to last for too long.
“Smile, love and be kind,” were the words Emmy believed strongly in and these words kept her going beyond all the barriers. The couple was looking for surrogacy as an option and a few women showed interest in being the surrogate mother willing to help Emmy and Jake but that didn't work out for one or the other reason each time.
The couple was widely known due to their rare circumstances and their wonderful adventurous decisions on top of it. Emmy was writing children's books while Jake was awarded the ITV Fundraiser of the Year at the Pride of Britain Awards for his charity work and raising awareness regarding cancer. Emmy was working on her blog in which she shared her fight against cancer and her extraordinary role that she played with her husband in fundraising. Little did she know that it was going to introduce her to a wonderful person.
The incredible life-changing event took place when the smitten couple was contacted by their schoolmate, Liz Begg who was then 32 years old and lived with her son nearby. “I didn’t really know them at school but when Emmy started sharing her story on her blog, I knew I wanted to help,” tells Liz. She added, “Emmy was just something else – an incredible person and so positive, the best way to describe her is gracious.”
The thought of having their baby was now the greatest reason that kept the couple moving forward every new day. They liked Liz, immediately meet and were planning to get everything done quickly as their hopes of being parents were taking them further even in the darkest of time. The reproductive specialists took 9 samples of viable embryos to keep their possibilities up to the mark.
“We sat around a table and watched three pregnancy tests turn positive one after the other,” Jake recalled. It was after 3months of they were all overjoyed as this was a good news after a long hectic period. Liz shares her experience, “To experience that moment with Emmy and see the hope in her eyes was incredible. That was the most perfect day we ever spent together.”
Jake added, "To say it was emotional is an understatement, I know I can speak for Emmy when I say I think neither of us had ever felt an excitement or feeling like it - it was utterly incredible." However, the good times for them were now over.
“But less than an hour after doing the tests Emmy could barely keep her eyes open – the tank was well and truly empty. Truth be told, Emmy never fully woke up,” said Jake. Emmy died on June 16, 2017, at the age of 31 after 18 months long struggle with a rare thyroid cancer. She left the world, though the story didn't end here...
“A week before she died Emmy woke up for a few hours and it was like the lights suddenly came back on, I can’t describe it,” Jake devastatingly recalled, “She said ‘do you think I’m dying?’ It was just the worst feeling of my life, having to say yes. And having to see her, for the first time in my life, scared and crying.”
The widower was living with one thought, “She died blissful in the knowledge we were going to have our baby.” Yet Jake felt “utterly lost and empty without her.” Jake said on the loss of his love, “She was my north, my south, my east, my west. The reason I wanted to wake up every morning and be a better person.” But Jake's only hope was about be shattered too.
The baby was the only ray of light in Jake's life after his childhood love left him to live in the world but a disheartening news came when Liz informed him that the pregnancy was unsuccessful and hereafter the volunteer surrogate made two more attempts that were unsuccessful before Jake finally gave up on that option.
"After two failed attempts and more consideration than any of you could ever imagine, I have decided to step back from the surrogacy journey and delay it indefinitely," he said. Despite all that happened, Jake learned the lesson of never giving up from Emmy and so he was determined to go on.
"She has had to endure physical as well as emotional turmoil over the last 18 months because of our choices - more than she ever deserved or asked for, and I know she would do it all over again 1,000 times and more. I cannot thank her enough for all that she has done and continues to do for me and all of Emmy’s family and friends. But more than that, I cannot thank her enough for what she gave Emmy…for she gave Emmy and I hope. Allowed us to dream about a future Coates baby…and it filled us both with so much positivity and kept us both going when the days were darkest. Thank you Liz. You are actually an angel. And I will always believe that Emmy has that first baby up with her in heaven." Jake said and what he did next for his wonderful woman is worth knowing.
Jake Coates was never over the grief of losing his best partner, his better half, “My co-captain on my bike. My best friend. My lobster. My wife. And truly my hero, there isn’t a moment that passes when I don’t miss her.” Jake expressed his sorrow, "I can’t look to the passenger seat whilst driving the car without the deepest ache spreading across my chest." After being through the most lonely days of his life, Jake's life was to take a twist.
"Emmy’s parents Susie and David, her sister Sophie, brother in law Matt and niece Mils and all of Emmy’s friends have been the greatest support to me throughout all of this and I genuinely couldn’t have done any of it or made any decisions without them. They are my family and friends and I will do all I can to look after them and be there for them in the future."-tells Jake about Emmy's supportive family.
The heartfelt story of Emmy and Jake was publicized in Europe making the two of them a sensation, however, the untimely death of Emmy left everyone disheartened. After Emmy bid goodbye to this world, Jake's life made headlines again for two different reasons that many followers either didn't agree with or supported Jake with their kindest words. We'll tell you about both the happenings in Jake's life that were surprising yet inspiring.
Early this year, Jake made a decision to run 10 marathons and was determined to finish it in just 2months. He was doing this for the love of his life and to raise funds for The Royal Marsden Hospital that looked after his princess. But what came to as a surprise was when he traveled to Iceland for his marathon, he was joined by Jenna Selby, an event planner.
Jake found love again in his life 8 months after Emmy died, Jenna, an event planner and her son surprisingly made an important place in Jake's life in a few months. He said, “No one was more surprised than me. They have both brought the sunshine back into my life and given me the nudge I so desperately needed to start living life to the full again.” Many people claimed that Jenna is Emmy's lookalike but we respect their decision as Jake never commented on it.
“Life is so short, you have to grab it with both hands and enjoy every second of it!” Jake said while thanking Jenna for being supportive. “The odd negative comments that have been written (by people that don’t know me or have any understanding of my life or what I have been through) have been deleted because I don’t have any space in my life for negativity,” he stated.
However, Jake has now taken a step ahead in his life but he knows that Emmy has become a part of his life as he states, “I still talk to Emmy every day." And posted his message and thoughtful opinion as, “Go to your husband or your wife. Your partner or your lover. Tell them that you love them. Embrace them. Hold them that little bit longer….You’re only here in this world for the shortest time and you never know when it might all disappear.”