A grieving young husband has paid an emotional tribute to his late wife on what would have been their first wedding anniversary.
Jake Coates met his childhood sweetheart Emmy Collett when he they were both 11 years old and the pair got married in September 2016.
Before they tied the knot, they received some devastating news when Ms Collett was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at the age of 30.
She had no idea how long she had to live and tragically died in June aged 31 and Mr Coates has posted a heartfelt tribute to his wife one year on from their wedding day.
Jake Coates met his wife Emmy Collett (pictured together) when they were both 11 years old
The couple got married in September 2016 after Emmy was diagnosed with thyroid cancer
Jake Coates (pictured with Emmy) has now posted on Facebook on the day which would have been their one-year anniversary
Mr Coates posted this emotional tribute to his late wife exactly one year on from their wedding day
Mr Coates said he ‘couldn’t sleep’ because of his excitement the night before their big day and added he ‘misses her more than ever’.
He posted online: ‘This time a year ago I couldn’t sleep. I was way too excited that I was going to get to marry this girl, the love of my life, in the morning.
‘There wasn’t a day that went by when we were together that I didn’t pinch myself – why someone like you would choose someone like me.
‘But I’ll forever be grateful that you did. We made the best team. Miss you more than ever my gorgeous girl. Xxxxx.’
The couple – childhood sweethearts who drifted apart for university – were overjoyed when they got back together in 2015, despite Jake working in Sydney and Emmy in London.
But within six months of them getting back together, the couple received the devastating news.
Ms Collett, from Luckington, Wiltshire, who had been plagued with symptoms such as diarrhoea, tiredness and enlarged lymph nodes, was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer.
A JustGiving page set up in memory of Emmy (pictured) has raised more than £138,000
The couple remained happy as Emmy, from Wiltshire, underwent cancer treatment in hospital
After battling the disease for months, Emmy sadly passed away in June at the age of 31
Emmy was terminally-ill had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer at the age of 30 and had no idea how long she had to live
He immediately flew back to the UK to be by her side and proposed just weeks later.
Just as the pair were due to go on holiday, Emmy was told cancer had already spread to her spine, lungs, liver and bones.
She was taken to the Royal Marsden Hospital and was told she could have made a full recovery if the disease had been diagnosed earlier.
A JustGiving page set up in her memory and to raise funds for the for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity has raised more than £138,000.
Ms Collett spoke to MailOnline last year and said: ‘My ‘school girl crush’ on Jake started almost 20 years ago when we were just 11 years old.
‘We quickly became ‘childhood sweethearts’ and at 13 he told me that I was ‘his lobster’.
‘When we were 16 we finally sought the courage to fully admit our feelings for each other and we dated for three years.
The couple – childhood sweethearts who drifted apart for university – were overjoyed when they got back together in 2015
Mr Coates wrote online: ‘There wasn’t a day that went by when we were together that I didn’t pinch myself – why someone like you would choose someone like me’
The couple met when they were 11 and Mr Coates described her as being his ‘lobster’ and his ‘best friend’
‘Although at university we went our separate ways, we remained close, but it took until October last year, after 10 long years, to rekindle our romance.’
Mr Coates confirmed the heartbreaking news on his Facebook page in June.
He wrote: ‘I feel utterly lost and empty without her. I can’t look to the passenger seat whilst driving the car without the deepest ache spreading across my chest.
‘And there isn’t a moment that passes when I don’t miss her.
‘She was my north, my south, my east, my west. The reason I wanted to wake up every morning and be a better person.
‘My co-captain on my bike. My best friend. My lobster. My wife. And truly my hero.’