I held my wife's hand as she died. It was the most painful moment in my life, but also the greatest gift.

The author (left) was with his wife (right) when she died.

Courtesy of Juan Cruz Jr.

• My wife was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer and was only given a year to live.
• When she died, I held her hand until she took her last breath.
• Although it was a painful moment, being there helped me grieve and taught me resilience.

My world came crashing down around me when my wife and I heard the word "cancer." It was terrifying for both of us. At the time of the diagnosis, our daughter was just 2 years old.