Married country music couple Joey and Rory Feek make up the popular duo called Joey + Rory. The couple have achieved mainstream success and have a devoted legion of fans.
The couple initially started out as songwriters in Nashville, then they started performing. Since 2008, they have released four studio albums and even performed at the CMT Music Awards in 2009.
Last year, the couple welcomed daughter Indiana into the world, who joined two older daughters who are Rory's stepchildren. Indiana was born with Down syndrome, and the family has persevered amid unique challenges.
Challenges aside, the Feeks were overjoyed to see their family grow, but shortly after Indiana's birth, they were hit with bad news. Joey was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Determined to confront the disease head-on, Joey has been undergoing treatment for the past year. Rory is chronicling his family's journey on their blog This Life I Live.
Rory has stopped writing songs and has instead been busy updating the blog for the past year. He shares stories about his family along with messages of hope.
The Feeks have remained in good spirits, receiving a ton of support from extended family, fellow country musicians, and, of course, fans.
However, recently the family been hit with some bad news.
In a blog post on Oct. 23, Rory revealed that Joey's doctors had found two more tumors. Her cancer is in stage 4, with doctors telling her that further treatment wouldn't do much to help.
That's when the family decided to stop treatment and, according to the post, take Joey home, "not to die, but to live."
In an updated entry posted Monday, Rory wrote that Joey had to be rushed to the hospital Friday night due to excruciating pain. It was then that the family made a tough decision to make Joey's last days easier, which Rory explains in the post:
Hospice is arranged and a hospital bed will be delivered later this morning.
Joey is at peace with where she is and where she's going. So am I.
An answer to prayer.
The post also mentions that Joey is spending what little time she has left with Indiana. They also shared this mother-daughter embrace on the blog and Instagram. Thousands of comments and "likes" poured in expressing support.
Rory described the touching scene.
Yesterday I sat her down in front of her mama and they smiled and played and loved each other the way that only mamas and their little ones can.
Afterwards, when Indy got sleepy, Joey held her and sang "In The Garden" and other hymns as she softly stroked her silky-blonde hair.
Perfect love filled that hospital room as we all held our breath and wiped our eyes.