New wife speaks about Brenda Schmitz's message from beyond the grave

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Mother-of-four Brenda Schmitz died of ovarian cancer two years ago Before her death, she wrote letters to be sent to a local radio station when her husband fell in love again David Schmitz's new fiancee Jayne Abraham said the letter dispelled 'any doubt I might have had' New couple said they were 'touched' by public reaction to the letter Mrs Schmitz asked radio station KSTZ to grant 'three wishes' treating the family and the doctors who took care of her

By Ashley Collman and Ellie Buchdahl

PUBLISHED: 07:48 EST, 23 December 2013 | UPDATED: 07:50 EST, 23 December 2013

The fiancee of a man whose first wife died of ovarian cancer has spoken of how a letter the dying woman left her 'touched her heart in so many ways'.

Mother-of-four Brenda Schmitz had written two letters one month before she died in August 2011 - one to her husband David Schmitz and the other to whoever his new partner would be - and asked a friend to send it to KSTZ radio station in Des Moines, Iowa, when her husband found someone new.

Jayne Abraham, herself a mother-of-two, said the letter had given her strength against 'any doubt I might have had' about her new relationship.

'David always assured me, 'I'm ready for this.'

'He told me that she had left a letter for me also and at that point I was all tears.

'He said, well, you can read it when we get home tonight.

'I read the letter and it touched my heart in so many different ways.

'It filled the package for me with any doubt that I might have had.'

Ms Abraham said the letter had been lighthearted and that Mrs Schmitz had made jokes in it, ending with 'how much she loves us through my letter and she loves me... [and saying] you need to give them all the love that all children need'.

For more than 20 years, KSTZ radio station in Des Moines has been granting Christmas wishes for listeners - including Mrs Schmitz's request.

In the letter, Brenda asks the station to fulfill her last wish to do something for the new woman in her husband's life, for her family and for the doctors and nurses who helped ease her pain.

It has become an online hit - something that Ms Abraham described as 'extremely amazing and untouchable'.

She said: 'We didn't expect the publicity, we didn't expect it to go where it has gone, and I think we're both extremely touched by the love and the support and the comments and the prayers and everything that everyone has sent forth to us.

'Our hearts are just throbbing and so filled right now.'

Mr Schmitz proposed to Ms Abraham in the summer.

She said: 'When I first met David, I knew he said he had a little guy, Max, and he was two when we met, and he had older boys.

'At first I really didn't think anything of it. I have two children of my own and I love kids.

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'Every day we've gotten stronger and we've developed a stronger bond and relationship.'

Mr Schmitz said he first heard the letter when the station read it to him the day before it went out on air at 7.10am on Friday, read by the programme host Colleen Kelly.

He said: 'They said they had received a letter that someone wanted to grant me a wish. I asked who is it from and they said it's so personal that we can't tell you over the phone. You need to come in here.

'They started by saying it was dated August 3 2011. They said you recently lost your wife Brenda to ovarian cancer.

'They read it and I was in shock - it was unfathomable.

'The whole process of what I heard, the wishes - it was very tough. My mind was going every which way and couldn't' fathom that the letter exists and the letter that she wrote to Jane also. It was quite incredible.'

Mrs Schmitz had written: 'When you are in receipt of this letter, I will have already lost my battle to ovarian cancer.

'I told [my friend] once my loving husband David had moved on in his life and had met someone to share his life with again, to mail this letter to all of you at the station.

'She deserves it,' Mrs Schmitz wrote. 'Being a step-mother to all those boys, and especially giving little Max a mother's love that only she can give. Make her smile and know her efforts are truly appreciated from me.'

'Thank you. I love you, whoever you are,' she added.

Her final wish was for the nurses and doctors who took care of her in the cancer unit at Mercy Medical Center.

'It's not surprising, because the last year and a half she's shown so many signs that she's there,' he said, adding that he saw a double rainbow the morning after she died and that 'Somewhere over the Rainbow' was her favourite song.

'There was no question that we were going to do something for this wish,' station manager Scott Allen told the Brenda's name and memory.' Des Moines Register. 'It was what could we do that would be deserving of

As for the nurses and doctors at Mercy Medical Center, they'll get get three coordinated food drops provided by a local catering company.