Australian Woman Keeps Promise to Husband Who Died of Cancer by Travelling the World With a Cardboard Cutout of Him (See Pictures)
Michelle Bourke takes Paul's photo along so that he can visit the places that he couldn't while he was alive.
A widow from Melbourne in Australia is travelling the world with a cardboard cut out of her late husband. 58-year-old Michelle Bourke takes Paul's photo along so that he can visit the places that he couldn't while he was alive. The couple wanted to travel the world together, but couldn't as Paul died at the age of 61 due to cancer. They were married for 25 years in 2015. Hence Michelle decided to fulfil their dream and her promise to Paul before he passed away. The 'duo' has until now been to Grand Canyon, the Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace, Stonehenge, New York, and Phuket. The cutout uses their wedding photo when Paul was 34. Scottish Woman Travels With Python From Australia to Scotland, Realises Only After Reaching Home.
Detailing their conversation before Paul passed away, she said, "Paul asked 'What are you going to do when I'm gone?' I said, 'I'm going to travel – I'll pack a photo of you in my suitcase and take photos of us in all the different countries'." Punjab Woman Travels Over 1,200km to Meet This Star IPS Officer Sachin Atulkar.
Check out her pictures of the couple below:
At Eiffel Tower!
Talking about her travel expeditions, she says, "Twelve months after Paul died I went on a tour with Cardboard Paul from LA to Las Vegas and San Francisco. Then we flew to Houston and later visited Paris, London, Edinburgh, Wales, Dublin and Somerset. Stonehenge was an amazing experience because I really wanted to go there. It was silent but windy and I had to stop Paul from blowing away. I felt at home. The Grand Canyon was spectacular – the energy there was lovely, peaceful and calm. Paris was amazing because Paul and I always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower. When I saw it I cried, it was beautiful. En route back to Australia I visited Singapore to relax." World's Most Unique Wedding Proposal? Japanese Man Travels 6 Months to Spell 'Marry Me' on Google Earth, Watch Viral Video.
At Buckingham Palace!
Michelle who works for a dementia charity has a daughter and a son. She is also stepmother to Paul's two sons. The duo met each other at work and came closer after their respective marriages broke. Paul who was a truck driver was diagnosed with melanoma, a type of skin cancer in 2008. He was also diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. While the tumour was removed, he was again diagnosed with melanoma. Paul died on May 20, 2016. Following which Michelle wrote a book about his final years titled Conversations With Paul. Her second book, Travelling With Cardboard Paul is to be released this month.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 24, 2019 05:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).