A cancer victim proposed to his partner on the day he was diagnosed with a rare form of the disease for the second time – with a HARIBO ring.
Brave Lee Westcott, 28, was diagnosed with an unusual type of leukaemia for the second time in two-and-a-half years but has vowed to fight the killer.
Just hours after the devastating news he decided to propose to partner Danielle Craig, 26, – only to realise he had no ring.
So when she said yes, quick-thinking Lee grabbed the circular treat and put it on his sweetheart’s finger.
Romantic Lee later sealed his proposal with a proper ring – and shared the sweet one with Danielle.
He said: “It was not a traditional proposal as such. We’d only been together for three weeks when I was first diagnosed in 2013.
“I would have expected her to run a mile, but she has stuck by me and been my rock.
“A week or so ago, I found out it had come back. It was such a bad day and she was in tears.
“We just started talking about things. We had talked in the past about marriage but had always wanted to do it properly.
“When this happened, I just thought ‘life is too short – why not?
“We had got back home from the hospital and the pack of sweets were just there.
‘I had always joked about using a Haribo or onion ring to propose so when we decided to talk about it, I just got the sweet out of the packet and did it.
“I did eventually get her a proper engagement ring. And we ate the sweet one. We split the Haribo ring and had half each – and it was the best sweet I’ve tasted.”
Since announcing their engagement on social media the couple have been overwhelmed by the generosity of people.
Several businesses have come forward to offer their services for free and they have set a provisional wedding date of January 27 – depending on Lee’s treatment.
Lee, of Exeter, Devon who works at Otter Nurseries, said: “The idea is that 2016 has been a dreadful year so we hope it will be the start of better things to happen.
“I have been blown away by humanity.
“We thought we would just have a small civil ceremony but we are now getting everything we ever dreamed of.”
The couple first got together in December 2013, just three weeks before he was diagnosed with a rare type of leukaemia.
Because of its rarity, he was given a very strong dose of chemotherapy and told he would have to “hope for the best”.
He had a bone marrow transplant from his younger brother who was a 100 per cent match but only 15 years old at the time.
On July 28 Lee had a CT scan and biopsy which showed the leukaemia had returned.
Danii, of Plymouth, Devon, said: “The day we found out I did all the crying and Lee was in a state of shock.
“He’s had a few emotional moments but he’s been really strong.
“Last time it was me holding everyone up, but this time bizarrely it’s him holding me up.”
Before tying the knot Lee faces months of chemotherapy but Danii has vowed to be by his side the whole time.
She added: “Before he was diagnosed Lee knew something was wrong.
“When we went for a meeting at the hospital, the consultant said ‘This is very bad news’ about three times.
“Afterwards we were at his mum‘s house, sat on the sofa, and we put a pillow up to our faces to hide behind and said ‘Shall we get married?’
“His mum was sat next to us and could probably hear everything, but we took the cushion down and told her, then we rang my mum to tell her, and she was over the moon.”
The New Continental Hotel in Plymouth has offered to host their wedding reception for free.
They have also been offered free wedding stationary and decorations among other things.
Dani, who works at an animal sanctuary, added: “He’s different. He’s down to earth, caring, and funny.
“He’s kind of like everybody’s best friend; you can tell him anything and he will never judge you, but always be there for you.”
