Help Diane Wygle after losing her greatest loves

A True Love Story

 

It all began in 2012, at the Route 66 Sign on Santa Monica Pier. Both Shane and Diane were on separate holidays, Shane on his own, travelling all the way from Darwin Australia, Diane travelling from Florida for a girls trip.

As the sign is a popular tourist attraction, the crowd was heavy. Diane was up front trying to take a photo of the sign, Shane was behind her, a large group of pushy people behind him. The group became inpatient, bumping into Shane, who then knocked over Diane, with Shane's Akubra hat blowing off into the breeze. Shane being the gentleman he always was helped Diane up straight away, apologising profusely. That was it! The kindness of this handsome Australian man, along with the accent had Diane smitten! They then rescued the escaped Akubra, Shane then asked Diane if he could take her to lunch. They spent the rest of their holiday together, site seeing and getting to know one another.

They had both previously been in long term marriages but were now separated. Diane had an adult daughter, Sarah, Shane also had three grown up children, Karli, Jared, and Rhys.

 

Shane returned to Australia. They had agreed to stay friends, talking often. But Shane could not get this Blondie Bombshell off his mind, he had to go back to America! By the end of this next trip they both knew this was something they couldn't ignore. Their connection was one of kind, life had given them a second chance at love, they were each others missing halves, true soul mates.

 

But what to do about the distance? They both had families and lives on the other side of the world. So at the end of 2012 the decision was made that Diane would come to Australia, with her daughter, for 3 months and 'test the waters'.

It was a no brainer, their families blended beautifully, it was as if their adult children had grown up together, instant connections and bonds were forged.

 

In 2013 Shane and Diane married and relocated to Australia. After a few years of working hard and saving every dollar, and using Shane's Australian superannuation, they then moved back to America, to set up a family home and settle down into semi retirement.

 

Diane’s First Greatest Love Taken Too Soon…

 

2019 was when tragedy first struck, Shane and Diane lost their daughter Sarah to suicide. Heartbroken, they quickly sold up and moved back to Australia at the start of 2020, to be with their other children. With work already lined up with previous employers, the transition should have been simple however the COVID 19 pandemic began, their employment opportunities disappeared. Without a regular income for over a year, their savings took a massive hit. Mid 2021 Diane finally secured mine site work, working away from her love, on a two weeks on / one week off roster, to keep the household afloat. In February 2022, Shane finally secured work on the same site, same swing. They were together again always, both employed, things seemed to be looking up for beautiful couple. They started to plan their new life in Australia, looking at purchasing a property to finally call home again. They were happy and excited for the first time since losing their beloved daughter.

Diane’s Second Greatest Love Now Taken From Her…

 

But in mid March 2022 Shane started to feel unwell, and unable to perform his duties on the mine site, was sent home, Diane also by his side. After a month and half of misdiagnosis, a trip to the ER for unrelenting hiccups and high blood sugars changed everything! After taking scans of the pancreas and liver, the ER team annouced 'there is no good news here, only bad and worse'. At the beginning of May 2022, Shane was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer which was already metastatic in his liver.

An extremely aggressive cancer, Shane lost his battle on the 30th of May 2022.

 

How Can We Help Diane Survive Losing Her Greatest Loves?

 

In a short two and half years, Diane has lost her two greatest loves. In his final weeks Shane had expressed his great concern not only for Diane's emotional heartbreak, but also the financial strain she would be under, which would force her back to work before her healing could truly begin.

Unfortunately with unpaid leave for over the past two to three months it has meant that the small nest egg they managed to start saving, is now being used to plan a funeral, and pay the weekly bills.

With so many moves between countries, lack of income through the pandemic and Shane's battle, by donating you will help to cover Diane's continued unpaid leave while she heals her heart for the second time.

If you are lucky enough to have known Shane personally, then you will know that he was one of the most giving, kind hearted people to walk this earth. As his son Jared would say 'he would give you the shirt off his own back, if he was wearing one that is!'

If you can, please help Diane through this horrible chapter of her life, by donating, or simply sharing this GoFundMe fund-raiser, using our hashtag #longliveshane