A husband and wife from South Dakota have tragically died of cancer on the same day.
Per WSAZ, Steve Hawkins, 58, and his wife Wendy Hawkins, 52, both passed away within 12 hours of each other on December 23 following separate battles with cancer.
Steve - an Emergency Medical Services Administrator for Yankton County - was remembered in a tribute penned by his colleagues at Yankton County Emergency Medical Services.
"With profound sadness we inform you that Yankton County EMS Administrator Steve Hawkins passed away on Friday, December 23rd, 2022 after battling cancer for nearly five years. He was 58," they wrote.
"Steve was hired as our administrator in June, 2009. Before coming to Yankton, Steve was a Paramedic in Cody, Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park. He began his Paramedic career in San Diego, California. In another sad turn of events, Steve's wife, Wendy Hawkins, also passed away on Friday, December 23rd, 2022 at age 52 after a short battle with cancer," the tribute continued.
The Hawkins' children were mentioned in the tribute as well: "Wendy was a devoted wife and mother who stayed at home to raise their three children, Brad, Mandi, and Trent, who are now in their 20's. Brad and Trent are still living at home, while Mandy and her fiance live in Iowa."
Steve and Wendy's son Trent has since launched a GoFundMe to pay for their respective funerals, writing: "My parents both died to cancer on 12/23/22 within 12 hours of each other.
"This has been a very tragic experience and my family and I are trying to come up with the funds too pay for two funerals. They were wonderful parents and took very good care of there family and I am trying to take care of them [sic]."
At the time of writing, the campaign has raised close to $19,000 of the original $10,000 goal.
Our thoughts are with the friends, family, and colleagues of Steve and Wendy Hawkins at this devastating time.
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