“My wife’s greatest dream came true today,” Rory wrote, capturing the bittersweet solace he found in Joey’s passing. “She is in Heaven. The cancer is gone, the pain has ceased, and all her tears are dry. Joey is in the arms of her beloved brother Justin and using her pretty voice to sing for her savior,” he penned.

The singer revealed that Joey took her last breath at 2:30 p.m. surrounded by her praying family. In her final moments, Rory held her hand and kissed her goodbye.

Despite the many tears of sorrow, Rory also recounted countless tears of joy and beautiful moments that filled the difficult time. “When a person has been through as much pain and struggle as Joey’s been through, you just want it to be over,” he explained.

Joey’s funeral service was a deeply emotional event, held in a grove of sassafras trees behind their farmhouse. Friends and family gathered to say goodbye to the woman Rory described as “the greatest person I have ever known.”

The service began in their barn, which also served as a concert hall.

During the funeral service, The Isaacs sang “It Is Well With My Soul,” and Pastor Jerry Young, who had baptized Joey in her small hometown church in Indiana, shared heartfelt memories of her.

When it was Rory’s turn to speak, he stood on the stage, looking at his wife’s sweet picture, and found that words were not enough to express how much she meant to him.

In 2021, five years after the heartbreaking loss of his wife Joey, Rory opened up about the passage of time and the enduring presence of his late wife in his life. He reflected on the complexity of grief, noting that, sometimes felt like Joey’s death was just yesterday, and other times it seemed like another lifetime altogether.

At the time, Rory was still living in the quaint farmhouse in Pottsville that he shared with Joey. He described the vast homestead as a place where time often seemed to stand still, preserving the memories of their life together.

He also spoke about their daughter Indiana, who was just two years old when Joey passed away. Rory noted that Indiana had grown into a “little person.” He mentioned that observing her development was a poignant reminder of the passing years, emphasizing how the passage of time could be both difficult to grasp and deeply affecting.

Amidst this reflection, Rory has found a renewed sense of happiness and hope. His recent marriage to Rebecca, a schoolteacher who has been a significant part of his and Indiana’s life, marks a new chapter filled with love and promise.

As he continues to navigate life with Indiana and Rebecca by his side, Rory’s journey reflects the healing power of love and the enduring spirit of moving forward.