Soon, they were speaking on the phone every morning and evening and video chatting whenever they could. Love blossomed.
The only problem was, Helen was in the UK and Jack in the US. 'We were a couple, even though we weren’t together physically,' Helen told The Mirror.
Helen was a full-time carer for her mother, but when she passed away in 2017, Helen, 43, felt free to begin her future with Jack, 58, by her side.
The plan was for Jack to fly to the UK for three weeks, then Helen would return to the US with him to meet his family. But on May 7, weeks before Jack was due to arrive, Helen couldn’t reach him.
In her gut she knew something was wrong.
'A few hours later I got a message from Jack’s sister Vicky saying he’d had a heart attack while watching baseball on TV,' Helen recalls. Helen flew to Arkansas and Jack’s daughter Nicole, 22, met her at the airport.
Jack’s family welcomed Helen, knowing how much Jack loved her, and the day before his funeral Helen was able to spend a moment with her soulmate for the first and last time.
'I gave him a few kisses, stroked his face and held his hand,’ Helen remembers. ‘I just hope he knew how much I loved him.'
