Sera and Dustin Young were high school sweethearts, and not long ago, welcomed their first child together, son Tex.
But their love story took an unexpected turn last summer when Dustin was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. The family is now now facing an uncertain future, but making the most of their time together while they can.
“It started with a headache that just wouldn’t go away,” Sera exclusively tells PEOPLE. “After about two weeks, he began experiencing vision loss and blackout spells. We never imagined it could be something serious.”
Caitlyn Okerlund/Okerlund Photo and Film
What began as a headache in April 2024 quickly escalated into a life-altering diagnosis. Initially, doctors dismissed Dustin’s symptoms as a typical migraine, but Sera and Dustin sought further evaluation. In July, the two were told Dustin actually had a large tumor pressing on his frontal lobe.
“My husband called me crying on the phone,” Sera vividly recalls of the moment she received the news. “The neurologist had received an emergency scan and found a giant tumor. They told us he should be having seizures; he shouldn’t even be functioning.”
Following the initial diagnosis, Dustin underwent surgery last summer to remove the tumor. Two weeks later, they got a call: the tumor was malignant, and Dustin had terminal brain cancer.
“There’s no cure for it,” Sera reveals.
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Grappling with their new reality, the couple found themselves worrying about their 1-year-old. “We cried for four days straight,” Sera shares. “What about our baby? Will my husband get to see him grow up?”
In their quest for support, they turned to therapy and online communities.
Sera posted a TikTok video about Dustin’s diagnosis, using dark humor to cope; unexpectedly, the video went viral.
“We’ve been dealing with our situation with a lot of dark humor,” she explains. “I posted a video that I thought was funny because it was relatable to our experience of denial and surprise.”
Comments were a mix of sympathy, prayers and stories from others who’d overcome similar diagnoses.
In the months since, Sera has continued posting on TikTok, detailing her husband’s prognosis and her own journey with grief in various videos as her community grows.
Caitlyn Okerlund/Okerlund Photo and Film
Despite the gravity of their situation, the couple is focused on creating lasting memories. Dustin has made a bucket list that includes attending a Dallas Cowboys game at their home stadium in Arizona. He is also writing personal letters for their son to read as he grows older.
“It taught us the importance of spending time together as happily and close as possible,” Sera reflects. “We’re trying to make the best of life with the cards we’ve been handed.”
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