A British man has won the hearts of Russians for his soul-stirring account of his love for his beautiful dying wife, and their extraordinary romantic ‘fairytale’ adventures together as she was gradually killed by cancer.
For Will Cheyney, 35, from Norfolk, it had been love at first sight when he met Katya (Ekaterina) Rusyaeva while posted to his father’s agriculture business in the former Soviet Union.
She took some persuading to let him win her – but in her final three years they fitted in a lifetime of magical trips visiting Scotland, France, Turkey, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Greece, the Philippines, the Seychelles, and the Caribbean.
Will Cheyney, 35, from Norfolk, has paid tribute to his late wife Katya (Ekaterina) Rusyaeva after she died of cancer following a five-year battle
His soul-stirring account of his love for his dying wife, and their extraordinary romantic ‘fairytale’ adventures together as she was gradually killed by cancer, have gone viral online (pair are pictured on their wedding day)
In an emotional posting on her social media account, Will wrote about their final vacation together to the Maldives: ‘On the last day of our holiday, Katya told me she wanted to swim in the ocean for the last time in her life.
‘By this time she couldn’t walk anymore, so I bought her a rubber ring and carried her to the water.
‘The sea was so warm and the rubber ring made her feel weightless. She said it was wonderful.
‘We took some photos and videos but she didn’t want to leave the water. She stayed in the sea for nearly two hours. Just floating.
‘I told her she’d get sunburned but she didn’t care.
‘It was probably the most emotional moment of my life.
‘I can’t begin to imagine what thoughts were going through her head but I like to imagine that she is somewhere similar now.
‘Swimming peacefully and painlessly in a warm ocean by a beautiful tropical island.’
In an emotional posting on her social media account, Will wrote about their final vacation together to the Maldives
Describing their holiday antics, he said: ‘On the last day of our holiday, Katya told me she wanted to swim in the ocean for the last time in her life’
He explained: ‘As I write this, I can’t stop crying because there were so many things I didn’t get to say to her before she passed, but I hope and pray that she’s in a better place now’
She died six days later on 29 July, aged 36.
The next day he wrote: ‘Yesterday I lost the most important person in my life.
‘After 5 years battling cancer, my wife didn’t wake from her final sleep.
‘I’ve never known a kinder, more sincere, gentler and more beautiful human being than her.
‘She treated everyone like you would your closest friend and anyone who met her for even just two minutes would never forget her.
‘I felt so honoured and humbled to be her husband.
‘She was so brave in the face of such pain and suffering. She lived life to the absolute max, celebrating even the tiniest details in life and appreciating every minute of every day.
‘As I write this, I can’t stop crying because there were so many things I didn’t get to say to her before she passed, but I hope and pray that she’s in a better place now.
‘I’ve been overwhelmed by the support and kind words from her friends and family. Thank you all very much.’
The widower wrote: ‘I felt so honoured and humbled to be her husband’
She was the personal assistant and interpreter to the general director at the office where William worked
He explained that he baked her a Portugese cake she said she liked, but she didn’t return his love
In a posting before her death, the Russian air force major’s daughter wrote about her British husband: ‘Thanks to him for a fairy tale in my life.’
Earlier in another posting, she said: ‘Thank you for amazing holidays my crazy Cheyney family! Miss you so much already! You are simply the best.’
William went to Russia 14 years ago to study Russian at one of Moscow’s most prestigious universities.
Later, he went to work for his Norfolk-based father’s company in the Voronezh region of central Russia.
‘My father has been in the agricultural business with Russia since the 1990s. I fell in love with your country,’ he told Starhit magazine in Moscow.
In a posting before her death, the Russian air force major’s daughter wrote about her British husband to thank him for a fairy tale
He tried to invite her on a date but she brought a girlfriend. It took him more than a year to win her heart
Earlier this year she had her appendix removed and benign tumours were found on it
Some five years later she had a pain in her stomach again. Examination has proved that cancer was developing and she was in the final stage
He studied agriculture at Shropshire-based Harper Adams University College, winning an award when he graduated aged 27 in 2009.
‘In November 2011, I went to Voronezh,’ he said.
‘I planned to see the town, the office and the local economy within two days.
‘I entered the office and Katya met me there. She was the personal assistant and interpreter to the general director.
‘I fell in love from the first glance. I signed a contract without checking my salary.
‘I wanted only one thing ~ to see her smile and to hear her voice.’
He tried to invite her on a date but she brought a girlfriend. It took him more than a year to win her heart.
‘We were in touch, I helped Katya to polish her English, she helped me with my Russian,’ he said.
‘Her other admirers often brought her bunches of roses. I wanted to surprise her.’
He baked her a Portugese cake she said she liked, but she didn’t return his love.
In March 2013 she invited him to celebrate Maslenitsa – the Russian holiday marking the end of winter and they went to say goodbye to winter in a restaurant with her friends
Ekaterina and William Cheyney in Scotland during one of their trips
She took some persuading to let him win her – but in her final three years they fitted in a lifetime of magical trips visiting Scotland, pictured, France, Turkey, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Greece, the Philippines, the Seychelles, and the Caribbean
Earlier, in 2007 she had her appendix removed and benign tumours were found on it.
‘Some five years later she had a pain in her stomach again. Examination has proved that cancer was developing and she was in the final stage,’ he said.
She was told she had a maximum five years to live.
‘When I saw my beloved woman again, I was impressed with her positive attitude,’ he said.
‘Katya met her friends, she spent time with her nephew Stepan, but she treated me only as a friend.
‘At the end of August I could not bear it any longer and confessed my feelings to her, in a very boyish way, right on the staircase.
‘Katya smiled and said: ‘You are a good friend’.’
He kept trying to woo her, buying a coffee machine and making her favourite cappuccino every morning.
She was told she had a maximum five years to live but Dan says he was ‘impressed’ with her positive attitude
Ekaterina and William Cheyney pictured at their wedding in June 2014
He said: ‘I wanted my beloved girl to meet my family. I think now that Katya kept living thanks to these trips’ (the pair are pictured in London)
Her Russian friends urged her to think again about this persistent Brit.
‘In March 2013 she invited me to celebrate Maslenitsa’ – the Russian holiday marking the end of winter.
‘We went to say goodbye to winter in a restaurant with her friends.
‘Next week I took Katya to a carting race.
‘Then we went to the club and suddenly she kissed me there.
‘I was in the seventh heaven. I knew about her diagnosis, she has told me but it did not stop me.’
In June 2013, they planned their first holidays in Santorini.
‘That summer Katya was so beautiful,’ said Will.
‘It looked like her disease stepped backwards, her appetite was back.
‘Having come back to Voronezh, we began to prepare for a trip to the Caribbean and started sorting Katya’s UK visa.
‘I wanted my beloved girl to meet my family. I think now that Katya kept living thanks to these trips.
‘She planned the routes, she studied the cuisine, she bought new clothes and organised photo sessions.’
His wife planned all the routes for their trips and bought a whole new wardrobe
What followed were a remarkable four or five holidays a year.
‘We celebrated Christmas with my parents in Norfolk. My mother always cooked turkey and Christmas pudding. On 27 December 2013 we went to Barbados from the UK. There were huge waves, we ran away from them.
‘I hugged Katya, I kissed her curly hair, her almond-shaped eyes and understood that I was ready to give up everything but to keep this girl with me.’
In St Lucia, he proposed to her on his knees on the beach offering her his grandmother’s engagement ring, a family heirloom.
They made their final trip to the Maldives on 24 July. ‘I understood that she was leaving me, invisibly and quietly,’ he confessed
Their wedding was in Sardinia after their engagement was announced in The Daily Telegraph.
‘After the ceremony, we hid from a heavy shower under the roof,’ said Will.
‘I looked at my wife and could not believe it that I was so happy to be her husband.
‘Yes, I understood that any moment Katya could pass away.
‘But it was better to love and to lose somebody rather than (to) never experience such a feeling.’
Back in Russia, they lived together in his flat.
‘We spent all our money on travelling,’ he said.
‘I could have bought a house and an expensive car but I thought it was much more important to show this world to my wife, to give her these bright memories.’
He sought foreign doctors for Katya, but her condition was too serious, and an operation could risk instant death.
This spring, her friend Lyubov died. She had the same diagnosis.
‘I’m the next one,’ she said.
She lost weight, became weak, her head dizzy.
A month before her death, he wrote: ‘The last three years have flown by, probably too fast, but they’ve been the best 3 years of my life!
‘I’ve never known someone to be so perfect and sometimes still can’t believe that I am lucky enough to be her husband.
‘She is so brave and courageous in the face of such adversity but together we are stronger and I will always be by her side.
‘As long as we have each other there is nothing else in this World that I need.’
They made their final trip to the Maldives on 24 July.
‘I understood that she was leaving me, invisibly and quietly,’ he confessed.
‘Katya taught me to value what you have here and now,’ said Will.
‘I am working a lot now, I go to the gym four times a week.
‘In the evening, I switch on my computer and go through our happy photographs.’
Their story has won an outpouring of love and admiration from Russians.