Farmer Wants A Wife's Matt and Hayley: 'Cancer brought us together'
Heartbreak and tragedy have bonded the pair
- by
New Idea
They’re only just starting to get to know their chosen ladies, but some of the farmers are already forming very strong connections with the women on Farmer Wants a Wife – and none more so than Farmer Matt and personal assistant, Hayley.
The couple hit it off instantly, but, after discussing their past, Matt, 26, and Hayley, 25, were brought closer by a shared history with cancer.
WATCH: Meet Farmer Wants A Wife's Farmer Matt
Just weeks before he was scheduled to begin filming the dating series, cattle farmer Matt lost his father to brain cancer.
Meanwhile, when she was just 19 years old, Hayley battled and overcame Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“I didn’t know about Hayley’s cancer battle when we first met, but I think it did bring us closer together, definitely,” Matt tells New Idea.
“It was something that we could relate to each other about, talk to each other about and we could help support each other.”
They’re only just starting to get to know their chosen ladies, but some of the farmers are already forming very strong connections with the women on Farmer Wants a Wife – and none more so than Farmer Matt and personal assistant, Hayley.
Seven
Hayley adds: “I definitely felt an instant connection with Matt. I’m not sure if it was the similar experiences or just the way we bounced off each other. But I made sure that he knew that I was always there if he needed support.”
Matt’s father, Gary, was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer and was sadly given 11-14 months to live. Matt reveals that he kept his fighting spirit right up until the very end.
“Dad did make it past those 14 months,” Matt adds. “He was stubborn and a true fighter. He never lost his positive outlook on life.”
The couple hit it off instantly, but, after discussing their past, Matt, 26, and Hayley, 25, were brought closer by a shared history with cancer.
Seven
Despite attending his father’s funeral just days before joining the show, Matt knew his dad wouldn’t want him to miss an opportunity to meet the woman of his dreams.
“My father was all about grabbing every opportunity, and I think he would have hated to see me pass this opportunity by because of his death,” he says.
“As much as I needed to be there with the family, they also understood that I needed to do something for me. And, I think Dad would be very proud of me putting myself out there – it’s not easy.”