‘Steve is the love of my life. I don’t know what I did to deserve him'
In her emotional new book Now and Forever, the terminally ill singer and actress has written: ‘Steve is the love of my life. I don’t know what I did to deserve him but my life has been made very special by knowing him.’
‘He makes sacrifices for me daily, he’s always by my side and he’s an amazing dad to Erin.’
She added: ‘Every day since meeting Steve I have felt so cherished and protected, and I count my blessings that he’s been a part of my life.’
The couple, who were married in 1996, suffered heartbreak early on in their marriage when they lost their first daughter, Kate.
Bernie made the devastating decision to be induced at five-and-a-half months pregnant after she was told that her baby had a rare chromosome disorder called Edward’s syndrome, and would not survive.
She recalled: ‘I pushed a few times and then with one big push my baby was delivered. The worst thing of all was that the room was silent except for the sound of Steve quietly sobbing. It was obvious she was already dead.’
A year later, Bernie and Steve welcomed daughter Erin Kate, named in memory of her sister.
‘She changed my life. I know I could kill for her, I would die for her, I would do anything on earth for her,’ Bernie said.
‘It’s hard to find words that truly describe how she makes me feel every day – proud, lucky, blessed. She is my angel,’ she added.
In March, Bernie became too ill to continue with her story so her husband wrote the final lines.
‘We’re at home now and we’re doing our best. Despite everything, Bernie still stops to smell the roses and appreciate life.
‘The way she’s coped with her illness is awe-inspiring and I know the disease will never beat Bernie’s spirit because she is so strong.’