My fiancé died the night before our wedding

Kaitlin Palmieri, 35, lost the love of her life, – not once, but twice

- BESS BROWNING, KATE GRAHAM

Rolling over in the hotel bed, I could feel the excitement rushing through me as I thought about the day ahead – my wedding day. It was August 2020 and my fiancé, Eric, then 33, and I had been together for two years and I couldn’t wait to become his wife. After all the heartache I’d suffered in the years before meeting Eric, I deserved some happiness and, as I lay in bed thinking about our future, I was beaming. But no sooner had I opened my eyes than the hotel phone began to ring. As my friend answered, I assumed it would be one of my bridesmaids checking on the plan for the morning. But when my friend passed me the phone and I heard my mum’s tearful words, I crumpled to the floor in shock. How on earth could this be happening again?

I met Eric in March 2018 after exchanging a few messages on a dating app. Our first date in a bar was a success, and Eric’s infectious laugh instantly put me at ease. Eric, a business consultant, was so easy to get along with and had me fascinated with stories of his travels to Europe and all around America. ‘I feel like I’ve known you forever,’ I told him.

I’d been single for three years, after suffering the tragedy of losing my boyfriend of five years, Mike, in 2015. Mike, 29, had been the love of my life, but at a pool party for my 30th birthday, he was found lying face down in the water, though nobody had seen what had happened to him.