Groom Dies from Cancer 1 Week After Emotional Hospital Room Wedding

Rogina Catlett tells PEOPLE about her final days with her new husband Michael, who passed away just a week after their hospital wedding.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Michael Catlett, 58, died from metastatic prostate cancer on Oct. 30, just one week after marrying his longtime love Rogina Catlett, 49, in an intimate hospital room ceremony on Oct. 23. The couple, who got engaged in August 2025, were granted their wedding wish through the nonprofit Wish Upon a Wedding after Michael's health rapidly declined. Despite not being able to have the beach wedding Rogina had always envisioned, she says the only thing that mattered was marrying the man she loved.

Why it matters

This heartbreaking story highlights the power of love and commitment in the face of terminal illness. Michael and Rogina's wedding, facilitated by the nonprofit Wish Upon a Wedding, provided them with a meaningful way to celebrate their relationship and commitment to each other during Michael's final days.

The details

Michael was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer in 2023 that had already spread to his bones and liver. After initial treatment, his cancer went into remission, but it later returned aggressively, leading to his hospitalization and hospice care. With time running short, the couple applied to Wish Upon a Wedding, which worked quickly to organize their hospital room wedding, complete with a planner, officiant, florist, and photographer.

  • Michael and Rogina got engaged in August 2025.
  • They applied to Wish Upon a Wedding on August 18, 2026.
  • They were interviewed 11 days later on August 29, 2026.
  • Michael and Rogina wed in the hospital on October 23, 2026.
  • Michael tragically passed away on October 30, 2026, just one week after their wedding.

The players

Rogina Catlett

Rogina, 49, is the bride who married Michael Catlett in an emotional hospital room ceremony just one week before his death from cancer.

Michael Catlett

Michael, 58, was the groom who passed away from metastatic prostate cancer just one week after marrying his longtime love Rogina.

Wish Upon a Wedding

A nonprofit organization that grants weddings and vow renewals to couples experiencing terminal illness or life-altering health circumstances.

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What they’re saying

“Through sickness and health, love remains. When you love someone, you stay to the end. You get an opportunity to express love. Just because the one you love is sick doesn't mean you quit. It becomes not about you but about us.”

— Rogina Catlett (PEOPLE)

“I told him that all that matters is that we're together and that I wanted to be with him. I had waited so long for that moment. It was breathtaking, I just thought, 'Wow, we're here and doing it. It's finally happening, we are living our dream.'”

— Rogina Catlett (PEOPLE)

The takeaway

This heartbreaking yet inspiring story reminds us that true love can transcend even the most difficult of circumstances. Despite Michael's terminal illness, Rogina and Michael were able to celebrate their commitment to each other in a moving hospital room wedding, showing that the bond of marriage can provide comfort and meaning even in the face of death.