Joey Feek, one half of the popular country and bluegrass duo Joey + Rory, was in high spirits as she shared the merriment of Christmas with her family next to her. The singer-songwriter beamed as her family huddled up for a photo posted by her husband Rory.
"Celebrating Christmas with Joey, surrounded by family," Rory wrote on their Facebook page. "The best gift of all. Thank you Lord," he added. Joey was diagnosed with cervical cancer last year and the illness went terminal last October.
The 40-year-old musician, who stopped treatment after learning about the cancer going stage 4, had no other wish but to spend Christmas with her family and to at least make it to her youngest daughter's birthday in February next year.
Rory appears amazed of the optimism his wife possesses and how contagious it can be. "Joey's hope never fades. No amount of pain or medicine can touch it. It runs too deep. It's connected to her faith in God. And as she will tell you, God can do anything," Rory said (via People Magazine).
Joey's Christmas was made sweeter and more memorable when Santa Claus visited her and her 22-month-old daughter Indiana a week before Christmas. "The Kris Kringle that showed up at our door wasn't your ordinary shopping-mall Santa," Rory wrote on his blog.
"This one was the real deal ... or as close to it as I've ever personally seen," he added. He went on to describe how Santa Claus sported the real beard, belly and most importantly, the "kindest smile and a heart for special babies."
Joey is currently in hospice care and was allowed to go home to spend the holiday. Now that she has marked off one of the only two wishes she set out to fulfill post-cancer diagnosis, Joey and her family now look forward to making the most of Indiana's birthday in February next year.
