Boy with Leukemia ‘Marries’ School Crush

Reece Fleming was dying of leukemia - but before he went, he had one last wish: to marry the girl he was in love with.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on July 23 2008

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Reece Fleming, a boy from Derby, England, was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of four. Even so, he fought hard against the disease. He attended school, where he made many friends - in particular, a girl named Elleanor Purgslove. In fact, Reese and Ellie were something of an item for a while: “Him and Ellie had been ‘special friends’ for a couple of years but then they broke up,” Reese’s mother, Lorraine Fleming, told The Telegraph.

But several months ago, Reese’s disease began getting worse. Doctors told his family that the boy only had weeks to live. Reese’s parents decided to make the most of that time, throwing their eight-year-old son a laser tag party. Luckily for him, Ellie accepted the invitation - as well as another request.

Apparently, Reese decided he would have to fulfill his lifelong dream a little bit earlier than planned. At that party, he asked Ellie to marry him. And she said yes.

So, on July 4th, Reese’s family organized a mock wedding for the two children, complete with wedding rings, a fake priest, certificates, and even a limosine ride to a fancy dinner afterwards. As sick as he was, Reese had never been happier.

“I can go now,” he told his mother, after the excitement of the ceremony was over, and his young pseudo-bride had returned to her own home. The next day, he passed away, content in the knowledge that he’d finally fulfilled his fantasy.

Filed under: General Interest,

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