Today is a huge day for my dear friends Bryan Bishop and his wife, Christie. 5 years ago, at age 30, just a few months shy of their wedding, Bryan was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and given 6 months to live. Today, his memoir about the experience was released: SHRINKAGE: MANHOOD, MARRIAGE, AND THE TUMOR THAT TRIED TO KILL ME.

A lot of you may know Bryan as “Bald Bryan” on The Adam Carolla Show. I know and love famous Bryan, but I love the guy with a wry sense of humor and huge heart who married my awesome friend Christie even more. And since this is a wedding blog, I wanted to talk about their story and how much they inspire me. They have the relationship most people spend their lives striving to achieve, and are an example to everyone of how to live and love fully.

The wedding vows “For richer for poorer, in sickness and in health” took on new meaning for Bryan and Christie before they even got married. It was when the economy was falling apart, and CBS canceled the hugely popular radio show that Bryan was on, The Adam Carolla Show, and Christie was laid off from her job in advertising. And three days after her job loss (less than 2 months before their wedding), Bryan was diagnosed with an inoperable Low-Grade Glioma.

While other newlyweds were trying out the Vitamix their great aunt bought off the registry and deciding when to have kids, Bryan and Christie’s “honeymoon phase” was packed with chemo, radiation, and physical therapy. Christie started a blog about it, An Inconvenient Tumor, that found hundreds of thousands of followers around the world; her funny, relentlessly optimistic take on it all gave hope to people who’d also been diagnosed with that terrifying C-word.

They never looked at their situation with self-pity; just the opposite. Bryan said early on that he was born to defeat the disease – he was even already bald, and didn’t have to worry about hair loss from chemo! They attacked it all with grace, humor and above all, love. Not since junior high group dates have you seen so much hand-holding, googly-eyes, and “I love you“‘s. In that respect, they were just like any other newlyweds, head over heels for each other and thrilled to be sharing their lives together. They never take a moment, or each other for granted, and they don’t sweat the small stuff. Cancer doesn’t define them; their ferocious senses of humor, loyalty, and generosity does. The most cynical person alive would believe in soulmates, after spending 10 minutes with them.

The thing is, none of us know how much time we have left on the earth, or with the person we love. We should all be living with Bryan and Christie’s perspective on life, and loving our better halves the way those two love each other. Their journey and relationship are a reminder to focus on the things that matter: The people in our lives. When I think about what a healthy, happy marriage looks like, what I want to have with Tony, I think of Bryan and Christie.

His book is heartbreaking, hilarious, and a damn good love story. I can’t recommend SHRINKAGE highly enough… Get your copy today!

Me and Bryan, at the SHRINKAGE book launch. Congratulations, Bryan!!!