“You have a wedding, with witnesses there to witness you, vowing to your spouse, vowing to God that you guys are going to stay together for life,” Kiara told Good Morning America at the time. “And then you celebrate with food, drinks and dance. And that’s exactly what we did.”

Following Kiara’s sudden passing, Joel opened up about the weight of his grief. 

“I never imagined I would be writing this, especially so soon,” Joel wrote on Facebook April 13. “It has taken me time to begin processing what has happened and to make sense of it all. My beautiful, God-fearing, Worshipping Wife, has gone home to be in the presence of the Lord.”

“Through everything that has happened and continues to unfold, I am leaning on the strength of the Lord,” he added. “Despite the pain I carry as her husband, my faith remains firm and unwavering.”