R.I.P. Hollie Stevens

Unconditional love is a funny thing, and you are blessed if you have ever really felt it.

When I speak of love and loving another human being, two people come to my mind: Hollie Stevens and Eric Cash. Hollie and Eric do not have a traditional love story, but it is one of the most beautiful stories that I have ever heard.

Many of you know that Hollie Stevens, the porn clown pioneer, has been battling aggressive cancer, but not many of you know about the man who has stood by her and loved her through one of the darkest journeys a human being can go through.

Hollie and Eric are a couple I have watched from afar for a while. When you see them, you see what love, loyalty, and compassion are all about. I remember when he packed up his life and career in Los Angeles in order to move to San Francisco when it became clear her health was not improving. Even now, as her health gets more precarious, these two took the very bold step of getting married. In a very simple ceremony in a hospital meeting room on June 10, 2012, these two brave individuals locked hands and promised to love one another for the rest of their lives.

When most people get married "for the rest of your life" usually means a long time.
Unfortunately for Hollie and Eric, that's not the case. Hollie is one of the most amazing
and brave individuals I have had the privilege of knowing. The last time I wrote about
Hollie, I talked about her on-going fight with stage four cancer. I wanted to follow that
article up with a fantastic story about how she kicked the shit out of her odds, but
sadly that is not what I will be reporting today.

According to a private press release from Laura Lasky of Solace SF:

"Hollie Stevens was taken to the ER in San Francisco on Monday, June 4. Seven hours later, she was admitted and initially treated for severe dehydration, due to the chemotherapy, and two blood clots (one in her right upper arm, and another in her jugular.) Four days later, multiple tests confirmed what we feared: Hollie now has active cancer cells around and in her brain.

Hollie has been given, in the words of her team of doctors, 'a few weeks to three months' to live, if that. Presently, she is receiving pain management and has begun radiation to help reduce the migraine-like headaches the cancer has caused. When Hollie is released from the hospital later this week, she will go home with Eric to their apartment where Hospice will be called."

The tragic thing is that Eric proposed before they knew the cancer metastasized to the lining surrounding her brain. These newlyweds will bravely embark upon a journey that they both know will be shorter than they would have liked. As awful as that sounds, in a way it's also beautiful.

The story of Hollie and Eric is one that I will never forget. Not because she has cancer and he stood by her, but because they remind me of why love songs exist, why poetry is written, and why people in this jaded world will lock hands, exchange rings, and take a leap of faith with the rest of their lives.

At this time, Hollie is asking for privacy, but she would like to say thank you to everyone who has supported her along the way. Death is a very triggering subject because no one knows what comes after it. They say one of the biggest regrets people have when they get close to exiting this earthly plane is not being loved or loving someone in a complete way.

At least Hollie Stevens will leave this earth knowing that she was not alone, and that she has someone who will stand by her until the end. She got the greatest gift of unconditional love and support from her husband. Let's hope that all of us can be that fortunate when our time comes.