Husband is ‘completely in shock’ after wife announces her own death in heartbreaking message

A husband was left “completely shocked” after his wife “didn’t tell anyone” about a farewell video she made to share on social media to announce his death.

Earlier this month (June 1), New York psychologist and author Sarah Mandel shared a video on social media that left even her closest family members speechless.

The post saw Sarah, who was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2017, announce her own death just weeks before her 43rd birthday.

She captioned the post with the superimposed text: “If you’re reading these words right now, I’m dead.

“I wrote this message the week I was told I had weeks, if not months, to live.”

After thanking “old friends, new friends and strangers” who supported her during the “hardest days of this cancer ordeal”, Sarah paid a sweet tribute to her “beloved” family.

Speaking about her daughters, she wrote: “I love you and I’m so proud of you. Maybe I’m somewhere beyond our concepts of infinity. That’s how much I love you. “

The TikTok caption continues below the video: “Our dear Sarah died peacefully in her sleep last night. She was thankfully very calm and comfortable during her final days of rest.

“As throughout her life, she spent her last night surrounded by love. She was snuggled up to her daughters, Siena and Sophie, just hours before she died.

“From start to finish, Sarah’s life was a work of art – a masterpiece – and her beauty, warmth and kindness will live on in our memories, especially in our hearts, and through his paintings, his songs and his writings.

“She brought joy, brightness and love of life to every day and lived her life with endless passion and hope.”

He added: “Thank you for the love and support you all gave. I know she felt it all and loved you all very deeply.”

Since her death, Sarah’s husband Derek Rodenhausen, 42, has spoken out about the situation which left him “completely shocked”.

He told PEOPLE that Sarah “didn’t tell anyone.”

After being diagnosed with cancer in 2017, Sarah ultimately closed her practice in 2021 and continued to publish Small earthquakes: a memoir in April 2023.

“When she started writing it, she started incorporating memories and parts of her own life into it, and it became a memoir…but it also has a self-help element to help people people to know how to deal with their own trauma,” Derek said. recalled.

Admitting that his late wife wasn’t a “social media person”, Derek explained that Sarah started using her various accounts because “she always felt like she had things to give”.

According to her farewell video at the end of her life, “she was fortunately very calm and comfortable during her last days of rest.” As throughout her life, she spent her last night surrounded by love. She was snuggled up to her daughters, Siena and Sophie, just hours before her death.

The TikTok posted by Sarah has since gone viral after racking up over 1.9 million views on the platform as well as thousands and thousands of comments from people rushing to send their condolences.

Derek says seeing the “magnificent” support from Sarah’s online community has been like a heartbreaking final gift from him.

“I loved her incredibly for those 22 years and we had a wonderful family,” he added.

If you have been affected by any of these issues and would like to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Macmillan Cancer Helpline on 0808 808 00 00, 8am – 8pm, seven days a week..