By Peter de Graaf
Miriam Panui, the terminally ill woman who last week married the man she had loved for 18 years, passed away in the early hours of Monday morning.
The courageous 37-year-old from Whangarei was diagnosed with cancer in 2004, and spent her last three weeks at North Haven Hospice.
It
was her dying wish to marry her long-time partner and father of three of her five children, Huia Panui.
The couple had always wanted to marry, but never got around to it.
When they were married at the hospice on Wednesday, it was uncertain whether she would live to see the next morning. However, she had another four full days with her family and new husband.
Her obituary states: ``In her last weeks she was able to heal a whanau while she herself suffered ... She gave strength to all as she grew weak.''
Miriam's brother Walter Davis, from cyclone-hit Townsville, Australia, said she passed away at 1.20am on Monday, surrounded by her mother, sister, three brothers, her husband Huia, Huia's cousin, and her eldest son.
"She went peacefully, and quite happily in the end ... Both she and Huia were extremely happy they'd finally been able to get married. It was something they'd wanted to do for a long time," Walter said.
Another brother, William, said Miriam was "very much at peace" in her final days.
"I think the wedding gave her strength, she lasted a lot longer than we thought."
William said the family was hugely grateful to hospice staff for making the wedding possible at a day's notice.
"We want to thank them for all their support and aroha, for allowing us to be there, and allowing our sister to be just her."
North Haven Hospice general manager Helen Blaxland said there was a sense Miriam had "achieved the things she wanted to in her last few days".
It was the first wedding held at the hospice.
Miriam's tangi will be held at Mangaiti Marae, Kaeo, on Thursday.
