We are always together.
I thank God every single day for the gift He gave me, a gift I know I didn’t deserve. The gift of you. I would rather live one single day with you than a lifetime without you.
My very first memory of you is still so vivid, you dancing and singing in church, so full of life, so alive, that my heart already knew we would one day be one.
Now, as you fight the biggest battle of your life, I want you to hear this with every beat of my heart. I am right here with you. Always. We are together. You are my soulmate, my love, my everything.
My lifelong prayer has been simple, never let me lose you or our children. Because my love for all of you is greater than my love for myself. And loving you has always been the easiest and most beautiful thing I have ever done. You are my greatest blessing.
Through our children Alex, Titus and Elena we live on. They carry our spirit, our laughter, our love for life and for others. We opened their hearts to the Lord, and now they are our beacons of light. In them I see your faith, your kindness, your fire. And that gives me the deepest peace in knowing that we have done our part. We have left the world better than we found it.
We built our castle with hard work, sacrifice, and endless love. Together we chased our dreams and poured our talents and treasure into Brave Schools so we could share the love we have with others and touch this world. I would do it a thousand times over, as long as I could do it with you.
We have danced across the four corners of the earth, laughed until our sides hurt, and made friends in every place we went. We have stood in awe of the wonders our Lord created, hand in hand.
Today, my love looks different. No chocolates, no flowers, no diamond ring.
Instead, it is the quiet, sacred things,
rubbing your tired feet and legs the way you love,
gently tying up your hair so the breeze can cool your face,
feeding you spoonfuls of yogurt so you can take the tablets you hate,
holding your hand while they draw yet more blood from your weary body,
sitting together watching Golden Girls and remembering our wedding day and the births of our babies,
opening the window because you still crave the fresh air of the world,
showering you, helping you into another soft pyjama set,
and simply being here every minute, every hour and loving you with all my time and all my heart.
It is praying together. Believing together.
We both hate hospitals as we are souls made for open space and wide views but we understand the fight, and that understanding gives us hope. We watch other warriors walk in with their head scarves and their courage, and we choose to fight just as bravely. We do not ask “Why us?” We do not blame God. We simply hold each other and keep going, grateful for every angel in white who cares for you, and overwhelmed by the love and prayers pouring in from our family and friends.
We have lived good, passionate lives. We never chased what others had; we celebrated their blessings as if they were our own. We walked through every nightmare side by side, always together.
Today we fight this ugly disease once more, the one that tries to break so many loving bonds. If love alone could heal you, you would already be whole. But love can comfort you, hold you, and walk with you through this darkest hour. And our faith is the light that will never go out.
You are my Valentine. You are still so beautiful.
I pray, and I keep praying, that we will grow old together surrounded by our children and grandchildren, together in our beloved Alentejo home, Monte dos Três.
You are always in my heart, and I am always in yours.
No matter what this world holds, I know this is not the end.
We are forever together, my love.
Don’t be scared. I’ve got you.
Your Valentine, Your soulmate.
Tim Vieira | February 2026