For Edward “Ed” Weizer, the words “Never give up hope” carry a special meaning.
They are the words his late wife, Anne Marie, lived by throughout her experience with brain tumors—and the words she shared with Ed when he faced a cancer diagnosis of his own.
Today, Ed hopes that by sharing their story, he can continue spreading the message Anne Marie gave so freely to others.
“She would be proud that her message continues even though she is no longer here to personally deliver it,” Ed says.
When Anne Marie Became His Source of Strength
In 2009, Ed was diagnosed with tonsil cancer. A second opinion confirmed the diagnosis.
He was terrified.
“I was scared beyond belief,” he recalls.
Ed remembers repeatedly asking Anne Marie whether he was going to die. Looking back, he realizes just how remarkable her response was.
Anne Marie was already living with brain tumors.
Yet instead of focusing on her own health challenges, she reassured Ed and encouraged him to continue with treatment when fear made him want to avoid it.
“Anne always gave me hope and encouragement,” he says.
Ed ultimately underwent two surgeries and radiation therapy.
More than 15 years later, he remains grateful for the encouragement Anne Marie gave him during one of the most frightening periods of his life.
But to understand where that strength came from, Ed says you have to understand Anne.
A Second Date—and a Life-Changing Answer
Ed met Anne Marie online in 2003.
On their second date at the Jersey Shore, Ed noticed that Anne Marie was wearing a medical alert bracelet and asked her about it.
Her answer was direct.
“I have brain tumors, and if you no longer choose to continue going out with me, I will understand,” she told him.
For Ed, there wasn’t much to consider.
He told Anne Marie that having brain tumors wasn’t going to stop him from dating her.
“What a great decision that was,” he says.
It was the beginning of a relationship that would carry them through years of medical appointments, treatments, moves, caregiving and life together.
Facing Brain Tumors Together
Anne Marie underwent extensive treatment during her brain tumor journey, including chemotherapy, radiation and brain surgery.
When Ed and Anne Marie moved from New Jersey to New Mexico, they continued traveling for medical care when necessary. After receiving difficult news during one trip, they decided to seek another opinion and explore additional treatment options.
For Ed, being Anne Marie’s partner meant walking beside her through the uncertainty that accompanies a serious illness.
But he never saw her allow her diagnosis to define everything she was.
Living Fully Despite the Diagnosis
Throughout her brain tumor experience, Anne Marie continued building a full and accomplished life.
She worked as a Certified Financial Planner, owned an insurance agency and operated a tax preparation business serving hundreds of clients. She also became an Enrolled Agent before the IRS.
At the same time, she cared for her mother and father and shared a life with Ed.
“Anne did not let this disease get the best of her,” Ed says. “She was an unbelievable fighter.”
Her determination wasn’t simply about continuing to work or staying busy. For Ed, it was about the way Anne Marie approached life itself.
Even while dealing with the effects of brain tumors and demanding treatments, she continued caring for other people—including Ed.
Carrying Anne Marie’s Message Forward
Anne Marie is no longer here to personally offer the encouragement she once gave so generously.
So Ed is doing it for her.
He knows firsthand how frightening a cancer diagnosis can be. He also knows what it means to love someone living with a brain tumor and to witness both the difficult days and the extraordinary strength that can emerge along the way.
Most of all, he remembers the hope Anne Marie gave him when he needed it.
Now, he wants to give some of that hope to others.
“I beg you to never give up your fight and always remain hopeful, even when being hopeful seems fruitless,” Ed says.
His message to anyone navigating a brain tumor diagnosis—and Anne Marie’s message, too—is simple:
“Never give up hope.”
