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‘Fault in Our Stars’ Couple, Katie and Dalton Prager, Die Five Days Apart

By Tito Ojo-Medubi
Published on: 09:25 PST, Sep 22, 2016

Katie Prager, 26, died in Kentucky on Thursday, just five days after her husband, Dalton Prager, 25, passed on, BBC News is reporting. The young U.S. couple, who both suffered from cystic fibrosis, fell in love on Facebook at 18 and got married in 2011. They both lost their respective battles with the disease that clogs the lungs and make it difficult to breathe. Most people afflicted with the disease do not make it to the age of 40.

Katie Prager’s mother paid tribute to her daughter in a Facebook post, saying that Katie had ascended into the heavens to be with her husband and other loved ones

“I know Dalton was waiting with open arms, as well as both her grandmothers and a host of family and friends that have gone before her.”

Doctors had warned the lovers against meeting in person because of the likelihood of Katie contracting an infectious disease from Dalton. The two love birds did not allow that stop them and went on to get married two years after they first met.

Doctors had tried to prevent the pair from hugging, kissing or even touching because it could lead to the transfer of dangerous bacteria and put their health at grave risk.

Katie and Dalton had ignored the warnings with Dalton traveling six hours to get to Katie. They kissed the first time they met each other. According to a CNN report, Katie revealed she fully understood the risks involved, choosing to live a few years of extreme happiness than to live longer years alone.

“I’d rather have five years of being in love and just be really completely happy than 20 years of not having anybody.”

Both had developed health complications that required lung transplants.

In November 2014, Dalton got his lungs, and the couple was separated until Katie got her own transplant eight months later. However, both developed lymphoma from their transplants. Dalton further contracted pneumonia and was placed on a ventilator. In September 2016, Katie entered the terminal stage of renal failure and was receiving hospice care surrounded by friends and family.

The couple was receiving treatments in different states. Dalton was in Missouri while Katie was in Kentucky. They were last together in July to celebrate their fifth anniversary. Dalton had tried to travel to Kentucky to see his beloved one last time, but he could not make it before he died. His mother said he tried many times to travel, but his body simply did not agree with what he had in mind.

Katie had watched the final moments of her husband on FaceTime and celebrated him a glowing tribute.

“My angel, my best friend, the love of my life, my husband went to be with the Lord our God today. Dalton fought a long hard battle with Cystic Fibrosis. He was a courageous fighter and ‘give up’ wasn’t in his vocabulary.”

Katie lost her own battle five days later after complications from her own lung transplant

Katie’s mother reaffirmed that Dalton had gone ahead to prepare a place for his wife, where they could rest in peace without the burden of breathing machines and health insurance companies making it difficult to keep them alive.

“Early this morning, she gained her wish of being at home, in her bed, surrounded by her mom, dad, brother and her dogs, dying peacefully, away from the hospital tubes and IVs.”

https://www.facebook.com/MorningExpressHLN/videos/10154452946402954/

In the early years of their marriage, the couple had gone through trying times together, especially when Dalton passed the infection to Kate. But they had lived the life of their dreams, staying in Kentucky near Katie’s family and going on vacations where they took selfies with matching oxygen tanks.

The inspiring pair, who chose to believe in love despite the medical odds, was dubbed the Fault In Our Stars couple, a reference to a novel and movie about two cancer-stricken strangers who braved all odds to find love.

The funeral arrangements of Katie Prager will be announced soon.

[Featured Image by Dalton and Katie Prager/Facebook]

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