Until I Say Good-Bye

In June 2011, Susan Spencer-Wendel was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is a disease that systematically destroys the nerves that power muscles; Susan, forty-five years old and a mother of three, already walks with braces and is losing her ability to speak. Though Susan cannot stop the rapid decline of her body, she refuses to let her life stop before its time. Since her diagnosis, Susan has made sure that every day counts. She is more present than ever in her daily life, and ready to share her strength, determination and spirit.

Susan’s story began attracting interest when she published a piece in her local paper about a trip she took to see the northern lights following her diagnosis. But one of the most important adventures Susan planned took her to New York City with her fourteen-year-old daughter, Marina. Susan and Marina, both big fans of TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress, visited Kleinfeld Bridal, where the two shared the experience of Marina’s search for the perfect dress for the wedding Susan will never see.

Until I Say Good-Bye is a truly magical story and so much more than one woman’s “bucket list.” It’s a celebration of life, a look into the face of death and an account of the effort we must make to show the people we love and care about how very much they mean to us.