She looked into his eyes, which at one point would have been a dark emerald green, but now, as he was slipping away, were a light shade of gray. She held his hand tightly.

          "I won't let go," she said squeezing his hand. Her other hand was running through his light brown hair. When she had first met him, never could she have thought this would be how her relationship with him would end. She fought back tears. She began twisting his wedding ring on his left hand.

          The nurse had left earlier saying their was nothing else they could do. But despite what the nurse said or thought, she knew there was more she could do. Maybe the nurse couldn't but she could. Friends and family drifted in and out offering her their sympathy while she sat there, a strong willed twenty-five year old woman, by her husband.

          He looked at her. She could see he was struggling. She tried to make him relax but he refused to listen.

          "I love you," he gasped falling back onto his pillow for the last time. He was there and then he was gone. She knew he left knowing that she did more than anyone else could have. She had sat there for weeks faithfully loving him every second of every day. She had done all that was needed. At that, the strong willed twenty-five year old widow wept.