Rory Feek Shares Wife Joey's Final Words to Him Before Her Death
Six months ago, while the world lost a great vocalist Joey Feek to cancer, Rory Feek lost his wife and mother of their daughter Indiana. Rory has been chronicling Joey's illness, death, and beyond on his own personal blog. He has often expressed his undying love for his wife.
"We repeated 'I love you' three times to each other," Rory, 51, tells PEOPLE of his 40-year-old wife's final words to him. "It's the last line of a song I wrote years ago called 'Josephine,' an imaginary love story between a husband and wife."
"For most all of our marriage - in the birthday, Valentine's Day, or anniversary cards we gave each other and before we went to bed - we have always said the same thing," he says in this week's issue.
Just prior to Joey's death, the couple released their final album Hymns that Are Important to Us. The album debuted at #1 on both the Christian and country music charts. Moreover, Rory is giving his wife the ultimate tribute: To Joey, With Love, a documentary appearing in select cities Sept. 20 and Oct. 6.
"Just like she did for Joey, Indy makes me laugh a lot," Rory tells PEOPLE of their little girl, who was born with Down syndrome months before Joey'scervical cancer diagnosis in 2014. "She's the child we were meant to have."
However, the couple struggled with accepting reality when Joey's cancer took a turn for the worse in October.
[Joey] just couldn't bear the idea that she was going to leave me a single parent again because I'd already been through it. She told me right on the porch out there," Rory says, his eyes filling with tears. "She said, 'It's not fair. You're not supposed to have to do this again.' I said, 'But on the other hand, I'm perfect. I already know how.'"
AROUND THE WEBDOMAINNatalie Imbruglia buys into Australia's own little Hollywood at...HEALTH HEADLINESHow To: Fix Crepey SkinBRILLIANT EARTHPippa Middleton's Deco-Inspired Engagement RingNEWS.COM.AUFrank Ocean's record label furious after ultimate betrayalKIDSPOT LIFESTYLESingle mum of three Lindy Klim: "I didn't think anybody would...THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALDThe moment Beyonce realised Blue Ivy was not loving the 2016...Recommended by
THE LATEST
FROM TIME: Apple's New iPhone 7 Has a Wide-Angle Camera, a Brighter Screen and Louder Speakers - But No Headphone Jack
Zoë Saldana Swears by This 'Full Mind and Body Workout'
WATCH: Britney Spears and Ellen DeGeneres Make Some Hilarious Mall Mischief: 'We Can Do Whatever We Want!'
Kylie Jenner Kicks Off New York Fashion Week in a Plunging Spandex Onesie as One Does
WATCH: Rory Feek Gets Emotional Honoring Wife Joey After Losing Her to Cancer
Recommended bySEE MORE VIDEOS {"uid":2,"hostPeerName":"http://www.people.com","initialGeometry":"{\"windowCoords_t\":0,\"windowCoords_r\":1366,\"windowCoords_b\":728,\"windowCoords_l\":0,\"frameCoords_t\":984,\"frameCoords_r\":1259.5,\"frameCoords_b\":1584,\"frameCoords_l\":959.5,\"styleZIndex\":\"auto\",\"allowedExpansion_t\":110,\"allowedExpansion_r\":89.5,\"allowedExpansion_b\":0,\"allowedExpansion_l\":959.5,\"xInView\":1,\"yInView\":0.815}","permissions":"{\"expandByOverlay\":false,\"expandByPush\":false,\"readCookie\":false,\"writeCookie\":false}","metadata":"{\"shared\":{\"sf_ver\":\"1-0-4\",\"ck_on\":1,\"flash_ver\":\"22.0.0\"}}","reportCreativeGeometry":false,"isDifferentSourceWindow":false}" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" width="300" height="600" data-is-safeframe="true" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; list-style: none; vertical-align: bottom; background: 0px center;">
WATCH AND SHOP: This Moisturizer Will Transform Your Skin (Say Goodbye to Wrinkles!)
SPONSORED BY DOMAINMan tries to sell his UK home - finds out he actually owns the...SPONSORED BY BRILLIANT EARTH9 Engagement Rings That Have Details People Don't NoticeRecommended by
FROM OUR PARTNERS
BRAVOTV.COM
Melissa Gorga Dishes on Fall FashionAOL.COM
'Real Housewives of New Jersey' Star Dies SuddenlyPAGESIX.COM
Marilyn's 'Happy Birthday' Gown to Fetch $3M at AuctionVH1.COM
10 Stars Who Do Their Own Flawless MakeupNICKISWIFT.COM
The Real Reasons We Don't Hear About Giuliana Rancic AnymoreVH1.COM
10 Shondaland Actors Who Completely Disappeared
The Cast of Stranger Things, Plus Jamie Chung, Taylor Swift, Bella Hadid & More!
Fashion Week 2016: Every Celeb You Can't Miss, from the Front Row to the Runway
The Cast of Stranger Things, Plus Jamie Chung, Taylor Swift, Bella Hadid & More!
Kanye West Secretly Loves Fashion Week: Here's the Proof
The 10 Most Stylish Stars Right Now
9 Style Lessons from Lauren Conrad in Celebration of Her Latest Collection
Here's How Many Calories Are Really in Your Favorite Coffee Chains' Pumpkin Spice Lattes
Rory Feek Shares Wife Joey's Final Words to Him Before Her Death: 'I Love You'
SUBSCRIBE
- Print Magazine
- All Access
- Digital Plus
- Buy a Gift Box
- Give a Gift
- Buy Current Issue
- Customer Service
ADVERTISE WITH US
LEARN MORE
- Sweepstakes
- Mobile Apps
- People Premium
- RSS
- Sitemap
- Contact Us
- Privacy Policy
- Your California Privacy Rights
- Terms of Service
- Ad Choices
- Celebrities
CONNECT
-
- Previous Prayers Are Called as Loretta Lynn Missed Labor Day Concert Due to a Fall
- Next Prestonwood Baptist Church to host 20th annual Biblical Worldview Conference
Hot Trends
-
Here Are the Lyrics to Transformation Worship's "Yahweh"
-
Carlos Santana Talks about How Christian Faith Saved Him After Seven Suicide Attempts
-
Citizen Way Returns with the Celebratory "That Thank You Song!"
-
The Tragic End of Kingdom Heir's Founder Steve French
-
Chester Bennington Dies: Was He a Christian?
-
Quianna Crute Delivers "I Am Your Music"
-
Sean Rodriguez Comes Full Circle in the "House of God"
-
Sandee Jo Crocker Offers a Heart-Rendering Interview About How to Find Help in an Abusive Relationship
-
Is Taylor Swift a Christian?
-
Bill & Gloria Gaither To Release Two New Homecoming Series Recordings This Friday
-
Let's Continue to Pray for Connie Hopper of the Hoppers in Her Fight Against Cancer
-
Southern Raised to Celebrate the Nuptials of Two Group Members
-
Songs As An Offering to God: Vertical Church Band's Jon Guerra Talks About His Solo Debut "Little Songs"
-
Oak Ridge Boys' William Lee Golden Re-tells the Story of the Prodigal in New Autobiography
-
The Kingdom Heirs Build on a Classic Sound with “I Want To Live Like Jesus”
Most Popular
-
Here Are the Lyrics to Transformation Worship's "Yahweh"
-
Carlos Santana Talks about How Christian Faith Saved Him After Seven Suicide Attempts
-
Citizen Way Returns with the Celebratory "That Thank You Song!"
-
The Tragic End of Kingdom Heir's Founder Steve French
-
Chester Bennington Dies: Was He a Christian?
-
Quianna Crute Delivers "I Am Your Music"
-
Sean Rodriguez Comes Full Circle in the "House of God"
-
Sandee Jo Crocker Offers a Heart-Rendering Interview About How to Find Help in an Abusive Relationship
-
Is Taylor Swift a Christian?
-
Bill & Gloria Gaither To Release Two New Homecoming Series Recordings This Friday
-
Let's Continue to Pray for Connie Hopper of the Hoppers in Her Fight Against Cancer
-
Southern Raised to Celebrate the Nuptials of Two Group Members
-
Songs As An Offering to God: Vertical Church Band's Jon Guerra Talks About His Solo Debut "Little Songs"
-
Oak Ridge Boys' William Lee Golden Re-tells the Story of the Prodigal in New Autobiography
-
The Kingdom Heirs Build on a Classic Sound with “I Want To Live Like Jesus”