Husband Has Visited Wife’s Grave Every Day Since Her Death in 2021 — as His Health Fails, He Doesn't Plan to Stop (Exclusive)
John and Cheryl Flores were married for 30 years before Cheryl died in February 2021 from COVID-19
Brandy Flores (2)
John Flores and Cheryl Flores with their arms around each other; Cheryl's grave siteBrandy Flores's stepmom, Cheryl, died in February 2021, after being diagnosed with COVID-19
Since she died, Brandy's dad, John, has visited his late wife's grave every day, often cleaning the grass around the tombstone
John, 63, who has also been undergoing treatment for small cell lung cancer since 2014, plans to continue this daily ritual until his own death
Every day since Brandy Flores's stepmom, Cheryl, died in February 2021, her dad, John, has visited her grave.
He sits down, drinks his morning coffee, and spends time caring for the site. He often cleans the grass around the tombstone, which he planted himself because he felt the cemetery's upkeep wasn’t good enough. When a holiday approaches, John decorates the area around his late wife’s grave. No matter the time of year, he always leaves fresh flowers, too.
"He started going the day they transferred her from the hospital to the funeral home," Brandy, who lives in Arlington, Texas, near her dad, tells PEOPLE. "He stayed there. He didn’t want to leave her."
"He planned the most beautiful funeral for her — she had the best of everything. He wanted it perfect for her," she continues. "The day they finally put her in the ground he couldn’t believe it."
Brandy Flores
John Flores and Cheryl Flores smile at the cameraJohn, 63, who has also been undergoing treatment for small cell lung cancer since 2014, plans to continue this daily ritual until his own death. When John was first diagnosed, doctors estimated he had six weeks to three months to live unless they could shrink the tumors around his vena cava, Brandy says. Throughout his treatment, Brandy says Cheryl never left her dad's side, helping him find the best doctors and options.
"I remember how Cheryl was with him at every stage," Brandy recalls. "She went to every appointment, every chemo session, every radiation, and every PET scan. After each scan came back stable, she would buy him a cake and balloons and cook a family dinner to celebrate. We all came together."
"It was her that kept him fighting," Brandy says.
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Brandy Flores
John Flores decorates Cheryl Flores' graveOne day in October, Brandy accompanied her dad to Cheryl’s grave. While there, she decided to record a video of John cleaning the gravestone. Without his knowledge, she posted the video on TikTok, not expecting much. To her surprise, the video quickly went viral, amassing more than 1.4 million views and 1,400 comments.
"Everyone has been so kind about his story," Brandy says. "I told him he went viral. He smiled. He wanted Cheryl’s story to be told. When he speaks of her, or when we do, he tears up every time. He misses her so much."
One comment suggested that John’s daily visits weren’t healthy and that it wasn’t good for him to continue the ritual. "He knows this," Brandy says. "But he’s doing what he can to keep her memory alive and show his love for her."
When the roles reversed, John stayed strong as he watched Cheryl battle COVID-19, Brandy recalls. Then, the day came when doctors told him that Cheryl needed to be placed on a ventilator, but if she did, she likely wouldn’t come off it.
"I never saw my strong daddy cry," Brandy recalls. "Not even during his cancer. But that day, he broke down like a baby. He didn’t want her to leave."
Despite his anguish, Cheryl, weak and tired, looked at him and said, "Bear, just let them do it. I’ll be okay. I’ll get better. I’ll see you again," Brandy remembers, adding how John has a very personal video of Cheryl waving at him just before she was put on the ventilator.
"Cheryl came into our lives when my other three sisters and I were a blended family," Brandy tells PEOPLE. "She had three kids, my dad had three kids and then they had my little brother. We were all family — nothing 'step' about it. She loved and cared for us as her own, and my dad did the same for her kids."
"She was the glue that held our family together," Brandy adds. "They were together for 30 years. Their love was unlike anything else. They did everything together. It was a love like you read about in books."
Brandy Flores
John Flores and Cheryl Flores with their arms around each otherLooking toward the future, Brandy hopes her dad continues to cherish Cheryl's memory and keep her spirit alive and well. She says he hopes to one day build him a bench at her grave site to drink his coffee at.
"I know he will never be whole again but with what time he has left I just want him to do what makes him happy," she says. "Me and my sisters and brothers just want him with us as long as we can have him."
"Our family will never be complete again — we know this. But it also [doesn't] work without him," she adds.
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