'We thank you': Edmonton family fundraising to 'live and die together' at home smashes $30K goal

A paramedic who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer is thanking donors who are helping him spend more time at home with his wife.

On Monday, William Huget spoke about his diagnosis and how it's made him no longer able to care for his wife Kathy, who has multiple sclerosis and is quadriplegic.

"Her quality of life is better at home. At least for a while. Let's just keep her at home so we can live and die together, and then she can go to long-term care. It's too soon for her to go there," he explained to CTV News Edmonton.

Kathy has been temporarily moved to a care facility while William undergoes chemotherapy. He said it's "highly unlikely" that he'll survive but he's trying.

William wants his wife to come home, so a fellow paramedic started a GoFundMe to help the family make the home more accessible and pay for more home care nursing that the government doesn't fund.

The GoFundMe had about $10,000 in it on Monday and by Tuesday afternoon had passed $36,000.

"Edmontonians are famous for being generous…It allows me to focus on our relationships and my wellness," William said.

"Everybody is touched by cancer and this story has many layers and I appreciate CTV getting the word out for us."

William said he hopes to move Kathy back home soon so they can spend whatever time he has left together.

He's also received a fresh outpouring of love and encouraging messages since the story was published.

"You are an inspiration to all caregivers," Brian Williams wrote when he donated $200.

"You have given so much to Albertans over your career that we would like to give you a little hand up to help you out. God bless you both," Susan Smith wrote on her donation.

William said he was pretty sick from chemo on Tuesday and was happy to accept the help.

"We thank you for everyone's generosity. Again whether friend, family, stranger, regardless of religious background, regardless of sexual orientation, we have a common humanity and everyone has rallied," he said.

"And I trust [the public will] do it for other people. I'm just one person. Do this again for someone else. And I'm certainly going to use these funds to help other people, if I don't totally need them. I'll steward them well."

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nicole Weisberg