A determined B.C. man walked a 1,100-kilometre journey on Saturday to ask his long-time girlfriend to marry him.
Well, Tim Michalchuk actually hiked between Prince George and Vancouver to raise money for stem-cell treatment to help his love Shannon Dickson battle the multiple sclerosis robbing her of mobility and independence.
But at the end of the month-long journey Saturday, he took off his hat and got down on one knee just outside UBC Hospital where Dickson is being treated.
鈥淚 need you to do me a favour and tell me if you鈥檒l marry me,鈥� he said, handing her a ring.
鈥淥f course I will. In a heartbeat,鈥� she answered, as the couple鈥檚 two children, seven and four, looked on.
Dickson learned she had MS about six years ago but her condition really began to deteriorate in December. She can鈥檛 walk without support or get in and out of bed alone. She鈥檚 also lost the ability to wash or brush her hair.
鈥淚 have no feeling in the left side of my body or my right leg,鈥� Dickson told CTV Vancouver. 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 over-tired or I鈥檝e pushed myself too far, I develop a head tick.鈥�
Michalchuk says Dickson, who also has four adult children and a new grandchild, has a spark for life.
鈥淪he was always so full of life. To see that dimmed in any way is heartbreaking.鈥�
So he set out on this trek, calling it .
鈥淚鈥檓 almost a little sad to say it鈥檚 over,鈥� he said, joking that he still doesn鈥檛 have his 鈥渉igh school body鈥� back after wearing through a pair of shoes and coping with bruised shins and blistered feet.
鈥淚'd go to the end of the world for this woman and back if it meant helping her out even just a little bit,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut isn't that what we're supposed to do?鈥�
The couple is hopeful expensive stem-cell treatment can reverse some of the effects of the disease.
鈥淭he stem cells should actually repair some of the nerves, and get her back on her feet where she was before,鈥� Michalchuk told CTV Vancouver. 鈥淲e want to rewind the clock a little bit and hopefully hold it there as long as we can.鈥�
The couples鈥� has raised more than $11,000 of a $32,000 goal for Dickson鈥檚 treatment.A m
