Over the past five years, a young couple named Katie and Dalton Prager have stunned the world with their epic and poignant love story, despite numerous health challenges for both members of the couple.
But this past weekend, folks following the story of this admirably strong couple received tragic news.
On Saturday, September 17th, Dalton Prager passed away, age 25. Katie Prager passed away just five days later, also age 25.
In the past few months, he and Katie, who both were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as children, made the news with their unending quest to end a medical separation and spend their remaining time together.
The married couple were separated due to differing medical needs, and hoped to be reunited at Katie’s hospice in Kentucky. Before that could happen, however, Dalton’s health deteriorated dramatically.
He passed away in St. Louis from complications of cystic fibrosis and lymphoma. Katie followed days later of complications of cystic fibrosis and a failed lung transplant.
Scroll through the gallery below to learn more about their spectacular, too-brief love story.
Dalton and Katie Prager first met on Facebook as teenagers, both stricken with cystic fibrosis and often confined to the hospital or the home for long stretches of time.
Their relationship evolved online, and Dalton and Katie met for the first time just one month after connecting via the Internet.
They had a whirlwind courtship and were soon engaged, both understanding that the stakes were high and the time short for a love like theirs.
Doctors warned them that spending time together could leave them even more vulnerable to contracting infections, but they chose to take the leap.
In 2011, they were married surrounded by friends and family, both aged 20.
Following their wedding, both of the Pragers continued to have dramatic health setbacks due to the cystic fibrosis, a condition which affects respiration and the digestive system.
Dalton was eligible for a double lung transplant, but Katie had contracted a bacteria that made her condition much more complex and difficult to treat, further complicated by her insurance, which refused to cover many of her needs.
Dalton received his transplant in 2014, and it appeared to be a complete success.
He immediately began a far-ranging campaign to try to get his beloved wide Katie the care she needed, at one of the two facilities in the U.S. that could perform a lung transplant on a patient with her bacterial condition.
Eventually, after months of fundraising and knocking heads with insurance companies, the Pragers finally secured a double lung transplant for Katie.
Tragically, however, the medical intervention was not successful for either of the Pragers.
After months of success with his transplanted lungs, Dalton was diagnosed with cancer: lymphoma.
Katie's transplant failed, and her doctors had to tell her that there was nothing further that could be done for her condition.
Following Dalton's treatment for lymphoma, he contracted pneumonia, which badly affected his new lungs.
The couple were largely kept apart due to their differing medical needs, but Dalton was able to go see Katie to celebrate their 5th anniversary in July.
In the weeks before his death, he was trying to find a way to be by Katie's side in hospice as her life drew to an end, but, after being placed on a ventilator two weeks ago, was too ill to travel himself.
The couple shared their last goodbyes on FaceTime before he passed away.
After losing her husband, Katie followed just five days later.
Despite the heartbreaking conclusion, the couple — often dubbed, the real-life Fault In Our Stars" couple after the touching John Green novel — always felt that their decision to be together, despite the risks, was worth every moment.
Katie once told Dalton, "I told Dalton I'd rather be happy — like really, really happy — for five years of my life and die sooner than be mediocre happy and live for 20 years."
Ultimately, they did have a blissful five years together, which was always their priority.
If you'd like to contribute to Dalton and Katie's end-of-life fund, you can learn more on their YouCaring page. To learn more about cystic fibrosis, check out the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's webpage and consider making a donation to further research.
Please don't forget to SHARE this story to spread the word about their incredible 25 years on earth, and the love these two had for one another.
