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After devastating diagnosis, strangers help couple get second-chance wedding to make one last memory

Sean and Kathy thought they had all the time in the world to plan their renewal, but a cancer diagnosis changed that. And a 50-year promise would be cut short.

Kathy and Sean Collins always planned to renew their vows.

Their wedding day 10 years ago, didn't go as planned.

“What a freaking disaster,” Sean recalled with a laugh.

Only a few photos hold the memory of the day when the couple promised each other 50 years together.

“(The photographer) probably took about 500 photos – of his right thumb,” he added. “We got nine good photos of the wedding.”

Sean and Kathy thought they had all the time in the world to plan their renewal, but a cancer diagnosis changed that. And now a 50-year promise would be cut short.

“It was sort of devastating,” Sean said.

“I know that we married for better or for worse,” Kathy said. “He didn’t deserve to be with someone who was going to die. He said, ‘You pinky promised me 50 years, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Kathy wanted to leave Sean a lasting memory. So, Kathy turned to Facebook – asking for help making a new memory in the time she has left.

The response was overwhelming – more than this couple even thought to ask for.

“I saw Kathy's post on Facebook, hundreds of people had already commented, offering to do things,” Destiny Findleu recalled. “She was just asking for a photographer at first, but I planned her a whole new wedding. A new memory basically. Everything was donated. Everyone just came together and made it all happen.”

Many attending the wedding never actually met Kathy or Sean – they saw her Facebook post, followed her story, and came out of support, because they or someone they love has battled cancer too.

In the end, Kathy said, it was a connection that turned a bunch of random Facebook friends... into a community.

PHOTOS | Kathy and Sean

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