Internet falls in love with boyfriend who shaves head to support dying fiancé diagnosed with rare cancer at just 23

A TikToker’s moving tribute to his dying fiancé has ignited the hearts of social media users across the globe.

The tear-jerking video, which has so far garnered 3million views, saw Marshall Exler shave his head in solidarity with his betrothed, 23 year-old Faye, who has a rare type of incurable soft tissue cancer that has now spread to her lungs.

Previous clips detail the couple’s emotional battle with her diagnosis, which came a year ago – after she discovered a golf ball-sized lump in her thigh.

In the latest touching video, the couple takes turns shaving each other’s hair shortly after Faye’s first chemotherapy treatment, often stopping to wipe away tears.

‘I didn’t know it was possible to be so proud of someone, but here I am in absolute awe of this amazing woman ‘Marshall, who is based in the UK, said.

He described his fiancé as, ‘the single strongest person I have ever met and ever will’.

TikTokers rushed to tell the couple how touched they were after watching Marshall’s clip ,and remark on his unconditional love, with one user saying: ‘You sir are EXACTLY the right person for her’

Social media users have flooded the comments with praise for Marshall and his courageous support for his partner during the hellish period.

‘And that is what they mean by through sickness and in health, she will forever love you for being the one to help her through this difficult journey, I lost my beautiful mam to cancer 8 months ago,’ Lauradaly17 said.

‘you are both beautiful! especially together,’ dave_memolus wrote.

‘Ugh I love both of you just from your reactions to each other. Godspeed,’ nicolealinelegault said.

Exler originally began his TikTok account to document his weight loss journey, posting his first video in October of 2020.

But he’s since used it to share more about his life – including the trajectory of Faye’s rare illness.

In Exler’s viral video, he takes users back to April 2023, when Faye initially discovered the growth under the skin on her inner thigh. After ‘many scans and test’ the doctors discovered Faye had a rare form of cancer called a high grade sarcoma.

Roughly one in 25,000 Americans will be diagnosed with the type of cancer that affected Faye every year – soft tissue sarcoma.

Sarcoma is a general term for a type of cancer which effects the soft tissues of the body – which could include fat, muscle, nerve or deep skin tissue – according to the American Cancer Society.

The American Cancer Society estimate that roughly 13,590 Americans will be diagnosed in 2024 and that 5,200 of those people will die.

That represents less than one percent of the new cancers diagnosed each year, Dr Brittany Siontis, an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic, said.

Sarcomas are so rare, that Dr Siontis said most people never hear about them.

A high grade sarcoma is more likely to grow and spread throughout the body quickly than a low grade sarcoma, according to the ACS. The more a cancer spreads, or metastasizes, the harder it is to get rid of it.

In Faye’s case, the sarcoma grew quickly- ballooning to over 8 centimeters in size by the time she was able to get surgery.

After she had the tumor removed, Faye underwent radiation, celebrating her 23rd birthday in October while undergoing cancer treatment. This was the start of a brief reprieve for the young couple.

The couple had been dating for roughly four and half years before Exler proposed, he said.

Around Christmas of 2023, the couple decided to move in together, and Exler said that ‘for the first time in a long time she [Faye] felt like herself again.’

Tragically, at the end of January 2024, Faye noticed some troubling signs. She was having trouble regulating her emotions, was constantly fatigued. She knew something was wrong.

A PET scan soon after confirmed the couple’s worst fears- despite the treatment- Faye’s cancer had metastasized. She had six tumors in her right lung and one in her left.

At this point, they were told her disease was in all likelihood lethal. ‘The worst part of it all is that it’s incurable. Chemotherapy will extend her life but it will never cure her,’ Exler said.

On Thursday, April 25, Faye had her first round of ‘a very aggressive’ form of chemotherapy. She told Exler it was ‘the hardest thing she’s ever had to do’.

The couple decided to shave their heads in anticipation of the hair loss that comes with the treatment.

But the 23 year-old hasn’t let her dire circumstances dull her resilient spirit. Her fiancé relayed her wise words before she buzzed off her bob:

‘From bob to bald, f*** it it’s just hair’ she said.