08/04/2026
At just 12, Chase Smith was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer. For six years he refused to let it stop him — he kept swimming competitively, even reaching national rankings, all while going through chemotherapy and constant scans.
Along the way he fell for Sadie Mills, a girl from Bargersville, Indiana. They started dating in late 2019, and from day one, they were rarely apart.
Then in March 2020, the cancer came back — this time spreading through his body. Doctors gave him three to five months to live. Chase was only 18.
Instead of waiting to see how much time was left, Chase and Sadie decided to get married immediately. Their families and community pulled together and planned an entire wedding in just four days — donating flowers, rings, a dress, and photography. On April 29, 2020, they said their vows in her family's driveway, the very spot of their first date and first kiss.
Chase later explained that people assumed he married her only because he was dying, but that wasn't the real reason. His view was simple: no one is guaranteed tomorrow, so why wait for a "right time" that isn't promised anyway.
He outlived his prognosis, and for nearly a year, the two built a real married life together — praying daily, traveling for treatment in Cleveland, and holding on through the hard days.
On Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021, Chase passed away at home in Indianapolis at 19, with Sadie by his side until his final breath. His last words to her were about not worrying — and she promised him it was okay to let go.
Their marriage lasted just 11 months, but in that short time, they built something rare: a love with zero wasted days.