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A young man who was just told he only has weeks to live married his high school sweetheart surrounded by over 75 friends and loved ones this week in San Francisco.
Sergio Soto was only 15 when he was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), also known as preLeukemia. MDS is a group of cancer cells that halts the maturation of new blood cells in the marrow. When these syndromes progress, they can often lead to blood cancers such as leukemia. MDS diagnosis tends to occur in individuals 60 years and older, but Soto found himself a rare statistic.
Shortly before his diagnosis, Soto met Isabella Cristobal at a mutual friend's party and the two fell instantly in love. Now 20, Soto knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Cristobal.
Last week, doctors at the University of California San Francisco told the couple that Soto only had weeks left to live.
"No matter what happens with my treatment, or whatever happens, I know she'll always be there, take care of me and stuff, she really makes me happy," Soto told the local ABC affiliate. "So, I knew she was the one for me, so that's why I proposed. She's the love of my life and I really want to be with her forever."
The Lymphoma and Leukemia Society estimates that one person in the U.S. gets diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma every three minutes. Treatment for Leukemia varies, but Soto's battle with cancer includes multiple stem cell transplants, clinical trials, and chemotherapy.
In a Facebook post by Cristobal, she shared the moment the two decided to get married. The two were relaxing at home when Cristobal got up to put something away in the kitchen. She said Soto turned to her and said, "I want to spend every last moment with you."
Cristobal continued the post by explaining the severity of Soto's tragic situation.
"Last Thursday we were given news that no one would ever want to hear...especially this young. The scans and biopsy showed that Sergio's Leukemia had spread to his spine, jaw, head-soft tissue. Because of that, the team does not think there will be a chance to ever cure Sergio's illness. With that said, we are not sure how much longer Sergio has left."
As soon as the two received the prognosis, they decided to sanctify their love in front of all of their loved ones. The wedding was planned in just seven days.
"I don't know how much time I have left but we're not really thinking about that," Soto told KTVU while sitting next to his new wife. "Every day just take it slowly. One day at a time, one day at a time."
Several local businesses donated their services to the young couple including Soto's tux, Cristobal's wedding gown, the venue, drinks, and food—all free of charge.
The newlyweds are now living together at The Family House, a guest house for children and young adolescents being treated at UCSF.
The couple also runs an Instagram account, @lovethrucancer, where they post updates of their journey together.
"Be positive like Sergio, stay strong and live life one day at a time," Cristobal told KTVU.
Updated 09/13/2021, 9:57 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to include photos and Instagram information.
About the writer
Samantha Berlin is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting on trends and human-interest stories. Samantha ... Read more