don't give up on me | marcus rashford

don't give up on me

I will fight

I will fight for you

I always do until my heart

Is black and blue

Life's all about moments of impact and how they change our lives forever, but what if one day you can no longer remember any of them? That was the scenario I now found myself in. It was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives; I had just married my soulmate, in the perfect ceremony, surrounded by all our family and friends. But it just wasn't meant to be. We had been driving to start our honeymoon when it happened, the night that changed our lives forever.

I had met the wonderful Freya at the age of 18; it was an instant connection, I knew this was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. It took me a while to ask, but a year later she made me the happiest person on the planet as she agreed to be my girlfriend. Three years later she made sure the smile on my face was staying forever by agreeing to become my wife. Four hundred and twenty-four days later she became Mrs Rashford, in her I had found the love of my life and my closest friend.

But that was all about to change.

A few hours ago, I was staring into the bright brown eyes of my wife; they showed so much happiness, love and excitement, but that was all taken away from her, from us. I was now staring at a woman who didn't recognise me, who didn't know how insanely in love with her I was, I was staring at a woman who thought I was her doctor.

The accident had caused her to lose her memory, most importantly the last five years we had spent together. She had forgotten everything; every kiss, every touch, every gift, every laugh, every memory. She had forgotten we were married. She didn't remember me. She didn't remember the life we had shared; to her, I was a random man standing at the end of her hospital bed.

And I will stay

I will stay with you

We'll make it to the other side

Like lovers do

The days became quieter which meant the weeks become longer, our normal routine had disappeared along with all our memories we had made in the house. It had been four months since the accident and Freya was still the same; in her mind, she was eighteen preparing herself for her future years, she didn't realise she already had a successful future. Every day was different; some days we would argue and not speak, other days she would look through old photo albums, occasionally she would show emotion at the memories she was looking at but not remember them.

On the sixth month, I started showing her some of the memorable locations from our relationship. The first stop was my old house, the first time I laid eyes on my beautiful Freya. She had attended a New Year's Eve party I was having, her tiny feet scurried across my living room floor making her way to the seat adjacent to myself. I remember the figure hugging jeans she was wearing, they bought out every curve. Her lips where enhanced by the red lipstick that covered every inch of her smile, it was the most beautiful smile I had ever laid my eyes on.

On the tenth month, I re-introduced her to my family. They adored her almost as much as I did, I had lost count the amount of tears my mother had shed because of the accident. Freya and she were best friends, if she was ever upset she would find comfort in my mother. She would always attend all my games with my brothers, even though she didn't know what was going on she would still have a beaming smile on her face.

This accident didn't just affect myself, but both our families and that was an emotion we struggled to deal with.

I'll reach my hands out in the dark

And wait for yours to interlock

I'll wait for you

I'll wait for you

On the twelfth month we started to struggle, it was unknown whether Freya's memory would be returning and that troubled her. It caused various arguments between us and it was made worse by the fact I couldn't help her.

"What happens if my memory doesn't come back? What are we going to do?" one day she cried. That was the emotion she was stuck in; it didn't matter what I said to her, I was always worried about what would happen to our relationship. I had to convince her that my love for her was forever and I wouldn't be giving up on her.

"Your memory wasn't the reason I fell in love with you" I softly smiled. "I didn't just fall in love with the best of you like the way your eyes light up the room or the way your laugh makes me smile. I fell in love with all of you. I fell in love with your scars also the way you make sarcastic remarks, the way you cry about something from years ago and the way you sometimes get angry over the little things. I fell in love with the great in you and I fell in love with the bad you see in yourself but that is the great I see because I love every part of you, I fell in love with all of you and I will continue to fall in love with you every single day until it is my last with you."

'Cause I'm not givin' up

I'm not givin' up, givin' up

No not yet

Even when I'm down to my last breath

Even when they say there's nothin' left

So don't give up on...

Fifteen months down the line and things were improving quickly, Freya hadn't regained her memory yet but she was progressing. We had officially been dating for three months, it had been a wonderful three months. It took me back to when I first fell in love with Freya; every fresh emotion and new memory we had been creating reminded me of our previous first meeting.

On month twenty, a miracle happened. I'm not sure how but I was thankful, my beautiful Freya had been sent back to me. After months and months of different emotions, new memories, little arguments and lots of love, her memory finally came flooding back.

I'm not givin' up

I'm not givin' up, givin' up

No not me

Even when nobody else believes

I'm not goin' down that easily

So don't give up on me

After twenty-four long months, we were finally able to say our vows again. Even after all these years I still found myself staring at my beautiful bride with absolute adoration, I don't know how but she looked even more beautiful in her wedding dress. A little tear fell down my cheek as I gazed lovingly into Freya's eyes.

"I vow no matter what challenges might carry us apart, we will always find a way back to each other. Every morning I wake up and I choose you, I choose us."

And I will hold

I'll hold onto you

No matter what this world'll throw

It wont shake me loose

Our wonderful journey was finally able to continue, I was forever grateful for the time I could spend with Freya. I was forever grateful for the trust she put in me when she had her accident. I had many moments in my life where I wouldn't give up on someone else, where I believed in them when they didn't believe in themselves. Because when you love someone, you never give up on them.