Facing the impending loss of a spouse is one of life’s most profound tragedies. For one man, that pain was compounded by a shocking request from his wife of ten years, who had been given just nine months to live. After a terminal diagnosis, he dedicated himself to making her final days as good as possible, hoping to grant her every wish. However, he was completely unprepared for the specific wish she would reveal, a request that would leave him feeling betrayed and questioning everything.
In a raw and emotional post on Reddit, the husband shared his story. His wife’s illness was progressing, with doctors predicting she would need a wheelchair within months and would become bedridden near the end. Amidst this heartbreaking reality, she made a confession. She asked her husband for permission to have sex with a previous partner one last time. Her reason, as she explained it, was that this ex was her “most physically compatible satisfying lover.”
The husband was, understandably, shattered. He described her explanation as “bulls***,” even though she tried to soften the blow by assuring him that their own sex life was emotionally fulfilling. The request placed him in an impossible position. He was torn between denying his dying wife a final wish, which felt selfish, and giving her permission to be with another man—a man she considered better in bed—which felt like a profound betrayal. He confessed to being furious and hurt, feeling forced into a corner by his wife’s impending death.
The online community largely sided with the husband, with many commenters labeling the wife’s request as “incredibly insulting.” One person pointed out that an illness is not an excuse to treat a partner poorly, while another suggested the drastic solution of sending her to live with the ex for her remaining days. The situation presents a tragic conflict with no easy answers, pitting the desire to fulfill a loved one’s last wishes against the deep emotional pain of an unthinkable request.
