Rory Stoykoff says his late wife, Zayna, was a beautiful person. Three years ago, the Maui middle school teacher was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“It was triple negative breast cancer. If you have breast cancer, it’s the one you do not want to have,” Stoykoff said.

During her treatment, there was a glimmer of hope when the couple thought she would get better.

“In celebration, she got a dog without telling me,” Stoykoff said.

That dog was a mixed-breed rescue animal from the Maui Humane Society. The Stoykoffs named her Kaia.

Watch the heart throbbing story on Hawaii News Now