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A Brother And Sister In Love

As told in pictures by their son, John Fugelsang.

Feb. 13, 2015

put on your headphones

John Fugelsang grew up Catholic.

Today he’s a comedian with a set about his family.

GUILT

SHAME

SHAME + GUILT

= CATHOLIC

Then one day, at age six, Fugelsang was looking at old family photos and noticed something …

odd.

A HABIT?

MADLY

DESPERATELY

INSANELY

IN

LOVE

She was sent to Malawi to work with leprosy patients.

He wrote her every week with news from America.

When she finally came back to the U.S. …

If you love her,

marry her.

But he didn’t take no for an answer.

Finally, she left the convent.

Two months later they were married on a southern Army base.

After 16 years as a nun, she had one gray dress and $200.

They settled in Long Island, N.Y., to raise a family.

Just before his 70th birthday, he was weakened by a serious heart attack.

He heard about an Israeli-Thai heart treatment in Bangkok. So the former priest put his faith in Buddhist and Jewish doctors.

He wanted more time with her.

He held on.

“My father died 1 year ago today. This is one of my last photos of him, looking at his wife, and it's my favorite. …”

— @JohnFugelsang, via Twitter
AUGUST 3, 2011