Movie based on Minnesota mother's story of terminally ill son marrying soulmate

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - A Minnesota mother lost her son Michael to leukemia 16 years ago, and in his final days his doctors let him out of the hospital to marry the love of his life.  Now that moment is being made into a movie to inspire others battling life-threatening diseases.

"A woman will tell you the worst pain is having a baby, but the worst pain is losing a child,” Michaels mom Bonnie Boyum, of Inver Grove Heights, said.

Michael was diagnosed with leukemia during his junior year at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls back in 1998. For the next year, he endured the trials and tribulations of chemotherapy which made him almost unrecognizable.

But a remarkable moment happened. Even though he could barely stand, the doctors let him out of the hospital to marry his childhood sweetheart and soul mate Michelle Larson. They danced to their song “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers just six weeks before he died.

"Michael lived, he lived until he died,” Bonnie said. “He didn't just crawl into his bed and wait to die. He got married. He danced a little. He moved his feet a little.”

Now, Michael and Michelle’s love story is coming to a theater near you in a few months. The movie Until Forever explores Michael’s battle with leukemia, his brother Matt's struggle with depression, and true love running out of time.

"It was just such a beautiful love story and Michael never complained, he was always happy,” Bonnie said.

The movie had a budget of $150,000 and was shot in South Dakota and the Twin Cities.

"I'm just so thankful it was made because boy I waited a long time, 16 years but I never doubted for a second it would be made,” Bonnie said. “I just had to wait.”

Until Forever will make its debut during Valentine's Day week at the Mueller Family Theater in Lakeville, Minn.