When David César swore to love his wife "in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part" on their wedding day, he never imagined how severely those vows would be tested.
Not long after they were married, his wife suffered a catastrophic medical crisis, leaving her trapped in a vegetative state. David never left her side.
Now, six years later, David is still by her side and giving us all a masterclass in the meaning of TRUE LOVE.
An Ordinary Day Takes a Devastating Turn
In 2018, David and his wife, Bruna de Sousa, who live in Brazil, were watching television when she complained she wasn't feeling well. Seconds later she began convulsing and her heart stopped. She was in cardiac arrest.
“In a matter of 3 minutes, she lost all vital signs. We ran to the hospital, after 25 minutes they managed to revive her, but she was without oxygen for a long time,” David shared.
It had devastating effects. Doctors diagnosed Bruna with "coma vigil." She suffered severe brain damage. While her nervous system still functioned, she was no longer aware of her surroundings.
In mere moments, Bruna had gone from being lively and vivacious to being trapped in her own body with no cognitive function. She was only 24 years old.
Bruna spent the next year and a half in the hospital, bedridden, tracheotomized, and feeding through a tube. Unable to talk, walk, or interact with her loved ones, she was completely dependent on others for all of her basic needs.
David refused to walk away.
"I made a promise in front of God and in sickness and in health I vowed to be with her."
David César
In June 2019, nearly two years after that devastating night, David brought Bruna home.
Husband Becomes His Wife's Full-Time Caregiver
David didn't just stick around, he DEVOTED HIS LIFE to Bruna.
He dedicated himself to looking after her 24/7, becoming her full-time caregiver. Unable to care for his wife and work simultaneously, he lost his job.
When his mother or mother-in-law were able to spend the night with Bruna, he picked up shifts as a driver.
With her complex medical needs and his income falling drastically short, David struggled to make ends meet. He turned to the kindness of strangers for help, launching a successful fundraiser.
The crowdfunding was used to pay for medicines, special food, diapers, personal hygiene materials, and medical equipment. It also went towards renovating and adapting Bruna's room.
Additionally, two lawyers volunteered to help secure financial assistance.
Even though Bruna's prognosis is bleak and the chance for recovery is devastatingly slim, David refuses to give up hope. He's scoured the world over to find a miracle. After consulting with neuroscientists in Canada he's currently pursuing a potential treatment.
True Love Prevails
Bruna's catastrophic brain injury robbed her of the life she knew. But it didn't just rob her, it robbed David too. Once dreaming of their future together and starting a family, he was now living a nightmare.
This isn't the life he thought they'd share and he continues to grieve the woman he lost but he leans on his faith to help him navigate this new normal.
"There is a greater divine purpose that makes me endure," he shared on an Instagram post.
The reality is, love is easy when things are good. But when the shadows descend and you're lost in the darkness, that's where true love is found.
In the face of truly unimaginable circumstances, David has held fast to the vows he swore to honor. And he still does, six years later. His devotion really is a testament to the enduring power of love.
"In practice, love makes us see beyond the storm and act during [it]."
David César
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