OAKLAND, Mich. – Carolanne McClelland of Oakland, Mich., said she will never forget the day her son Alex met his girlfriend Kiley.
"He just leaned forward with this dreamy look, and he said, 'Mom, today I met the most beautiful girl in the world.'"
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Alex McClelland met Kiley on his first day of high school at Rochester Adams.
"They were together from that day forward," said Carolanne McClelland.
It became the classic love story, the captain of the football team and the beautiful cheerleader.
After graduation, Alex went on to play football at Bluffton University.
"He started to complain of a little back pain," said McClelland. "We just assumed it was a football injury."
But the pain kept getting worse.
"On April 11th in 2008, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, which is a very rare pediatric bone cancer," said McClelland.
With his family and Kiley by his side, Alex endured risky surgery, months of intense chemotherapy and finally, experimental treatments. But when the test results came back, the news was bad.
"The cancer had spread. It had spread fiercely," said McClelland.
A doctor who had lost his own daughter to cancer gave Alex's mom some advice.
"He said consider taking him home. Take him home to be with his family," said McClelland. "He introduced us to St. John Providence Health System's Walk With Me program and our nurse Kim."
Walk With Me is a pediatric hospice program. Kimberly Stewart is the program coordinator.
"Walk With Me cares for children that have a life-limiting illness. And we provide the spiritual, emotional, and physical support during that illness," said Stewart. "It's a place to be able to go to focus on your child, and to love your child for the limited time they have, and let us take care of everything else."
Stewart asked Alex if he had any requests.
"He shared his wishes which were very simple. He said, 'I just want to come home. I just want to be with my family. And I want to propose to my girlfriend,'" said McClelland.
Walk With Me made the arrangements to bring Alex home, and McClelland called on some other angels.
"I called some very very dear friends, and said, 'Can you help me? Alex wants to propose to Kiley. Can you do a little something in my house to make the event special?'" said McClelland.
On the big night, Kiley thought they were taking a family photo.
"My husband escorted her down the stairs and into this room where she saw twinkling lights, rose petal path, tulle everywhere, bridal cakes and a bridal arbor," said McClelland.
Alex was waiting there for Kiley.
"He told her how much he loved her and that he was sorry he would not be able to spend the rest of his life with her. And then he promised he would send her somebody very special and he said, 'Don't worry, you'll know.' And then he slipped his grandmother's wedding ring on her finger and said, 'Kiley, I will always love you more,'" said McClelland.
The family celebrated and posed for pictures, then helped Alex back to bed.
"We got him back upstairs, and all settled in. And we stayed with him that night, and our nurse Kim stayed with us all night long did not leave our side," said McClelland. "I felt him slipping away. And I said, 'Alex, I love you.' And he didn't respond. And I said, 'Please Alex, I love you.' And he squeezed my hand four times. And that means 'I love you more.' He passed away at four in the morning peacefully with his final wishes granted."
McClelland said Walk With Me made Alex's last days happier and continues to help their family.
"Having your child come home to a place that always made him feel safe, was just such a blessing. And the burden of his medication and his treatment and his care, being shouldered by walk with me, was such a gift. It was such a burden lifted. So the limited time you have left with these kids is spent doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing. Loving the children, having your final memories with your children, saying what you have to say in the privacy of your own home," said McClelland.
Stewart said funding is essential for Walk With Me to continue helping families in their time of need.
'We do not turn children away based on their ability to pay, so funding is a huge help to help to provide care to these families that may not have the ability to pay for them or don't have the insurance that covers certain things," said Stewart.
Walk With Me is holding a fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 21 at the Detroit Athletic Club. McClelland will be there to share Alex's story.
"We've healed because of the efforts of the Walk With Me program," said McClelland.
To learn more about Walk With Me, click here.
To find details on the Walk With Me fundraiser, click here.