AP Photo/Richard VogelCountry music has lost one special, talented singer.
E! News can confirm Joey + Rory member Joey Feek has died after a battle with cervical cancer. She was 40 years old. "My wife's greatest dream came true today. She is in Heaven," Rory Feek wrote on the blog today in a post titled A Dream Come True.
"The cancer is gone, the pain has ceased and all her tears are dry. Joey is in the arms of her beloved brother Justin and using her pretty voice to sing for her savior. At 2:30 this afternoon, as we were gathered around her, holding hands and praying.. my precious bride breathed her last. And a moment later took her first breath on the other side. As I held her hand and kissed her goodbye one last time… I was reminded of another dream of hers that came true. "
The upsetting news comes after her husband and longtime singing partner continued to update fans on the situation through several personal blog posts. In one of his latest (and heartbreaking) post titled One Last Kiss, Rory told fans that the end was nearing and Joey's body was "shutting down."
"My wife has been asleep for days now and her body is shutting down quickly. The hospice nurse came again this morning and said Joey will most-likely only be with us for a few more days… at the most," he wrote.
"A few more days… In the 40 short years that Joey has lived, my bride has accomplished many great things… she's lived a very full life. But even more than that, she has loved those around her greatly and been loved greatly in return. I can honestly say that Joey's isn't just a life well-lived, it's a life well-loved."
Rory also shared just a few of the many special moments Joey and their 20-month-old daughter Indiana experienced in the days leading up to her death.
"I've brought Indiana up here to spend time with her mama. Both of their eyes light up the moment they see each other," Rory wrote before revealing plans to bring Joey home with the help of hospice. "It's been beautiful… Perfect love filled that hospital room as we all held our breath and wiped our eyes."
Rory and Joey exchanged vows back in 2002. More than thirteen years later, it was clear that the couple's bond remained stronger than ever.
In fact, their wedding held "in front of God" was the beginning of a special relationship between Joey and Rory's two children from a previous relationship.
"She called the girls up and gently slid a ring on their fingers too…a symbol of her commitment to them, like her commitment to me," Rory wrote in a previous post. "The girls never gave up on Joey, and she never gave up on them."
Joey was first diagnosed with cervical cancer in June 2014, about four months after the birth of Indiana.
After Joey's initial treatment and surgery, she appeared to have made a full recovery. Unfortunately, the cancer returned and tumors spread to her sigmoid colon.
Throughout the cancer battle, both Rory and Joey remained focused on enjoying the present and everything positive around them. A perfect example occurred more than a month ago when they "reached the end of what medicine can do." Instead of giving up, the couple prayed "for a miracle" and soaked up every day.
"The doctors gave us an estimate of how much time they believe that Joey has, and we both looked at the calendar that hangs by our kitchen door, then I took the calendar off the wall and threw in the trash can," Rory shared in a post from October. "So we don't have forever. We've got right now. And that's enough."
Joey + Rory were nominated for a Grammy earlier this year. Their songs include "Cheater, Cheater" and "This Song's for You" with Zac Brown Band.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Feek family during this difficult time.