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Bride Fakes Cancer to Get Free Wedding

Says her fiance turned husband turned ex

By Kate Schwartz,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 6, 2010 1:47 PM CDT
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(Newser) – The story seemed like a heartbreaking one with a fairytale twist—a 23-year-old woman from New York was dying from leukemia, but dozens of strangers chipped in to pay for her dream wedding. Except Jessica Vega never had cancer, says now-ex-husband Michael O'Connell. He says Vega scammed him along with those who donated everything from Vega's dress to honeymoon tickets to Aruba in the weeks leading up to their May 2 wedding, reports Doyle Murphy for the Times Herald-Record—the same reporter who in April wrote a story about the couple's quest to wed.

While working on that story, Vega showed Murphy a letter from Dr. Dan Costin that noted her diagnosis. At O'Connell's urging, Murphy listened in when O'Connell recently called the doctor's office to inquire about her, and was told she was "never a patient here." Vega tells O'Connell that the letter was true, but that she doubts its accuracy, and says she's getting healthier thanks to a new doctor, who has her eating fresh food and exercising. She added that O'Connell was abusive, a claim he doesn't deny. Click here for more on the weird, sad story.

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 11 comments
tbonetti
Sep 15, 2010 1:54 AM CDT
My sister-in-law lost her battle to breast cancer 20 years ago when she was only 34 years old leaving behind her 3 year old daughter and my brother. It is disgusting that people such as the this woman who took advantage of caring, thoughtful and empathetic individuals. They should have to pay back all of the monies they received in funds/material items back to Cancer Foundations.
tbonetti
Sep 15, 2010 1:53 AM CDT
My sister-in-law lost her battle to breast cancer 20 years ago when she was only 34 years old leaving behind her 3 year old daughter and my brother. It is disgusting that people such as this woman who take advantage of caring, thoughtful and empathetic individuals. They should have to pay back all of the monies they received in funds/material items back to Cancer Foundations.
justmecee
Sep 9, 2010 9:41 AM CDT
It's people like "HER" who make things impossible for the real ones who suffer these dreadful cancers, I am a 5 time LYMPHOMA survivor, for over a month now I've been trying to raise funds for a walk to be held in my area in Oct, and let me tell you donations suck because people are afraid to give money. There will be a special pl;ace for "her" when the time comes.

 
cancer • brides • weird crimes

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