Vivek Oberoi On Trauma Of Losing Childhood Sweetheart To Cancer, 'Would See Her In Random People..'

Recently, Vivek Oberoi bared his soul and discussed the gut-wrenching pain of losing his childhood sweetheart to cancer. The actor also shared his method of coping, and it's truly heartwarming.

Bollywood actor-turned-businessman, Vivek Oberoi is known for wearing his heart on his sleeve. From gushing about the love of his life, Priyanka Alva, to candidly talking about how it took him several years to get over heartbreak, Vivek never holds back from baring his soul. The actor recently opened up about a deeply personal incident that took place in the early years of his adult life. Many might not know this, but the Saathiya actor experienced a pain most of us could only imagine when he lost his childhood sweetheart to cancer.

Vivek Oberoi talks about having his 'life planned out' with his childhood sweetheart

In a recent tell-all interview with MensXP, Vivek Oberoi divulged many details about his life, from finding love in Priyanka Alva to heartbreak that made him lose his true self. The actor also discussed another heart-wrenching incident from his life that involved him losing his childhood sweetheart to cancer in his early years of adulthood. Many might not know this, but Vivek found young love with his childhood sweetheart when he was 13 and she was 12. While such bonds are tagged as 'puppy love' and expected to fizzle out, things didn't quite turn out that way for the actor.

Vivek revealed that the pair stuck by each other for years, eventually entering an official relationship when he was 18 and she was 17. Revealing that he had envisioned his entire life with her, Vivek said:

"I thought, 'This is it. She's the one.' I envisioned us going to college together, getting married, and having kids. I had my life planned out in my mind." 

Vivek Oberoi reveals being shellshocked when he found out about his sweetheart's cancer diagnosis

During the conversation, Vivek Oberoi reflected on the shock that ran through him when he found out about his childhood sweetheart's cancer diagnosis. The actor painfully recalled how he and her family had tried everything to help her. But given the seriousness of her condition, nothing they did could save her. Recounting the devastating experience, Vivek said:

"I kept trying to call her, but she wasn't answering. She had mentioned earlier that she wasn't feeling well, and I thought it was just a cold. When I couldn't reach her or her family, I called her cousin, who told me she was in the hospital. I rushed there. We had been in a relationship for 5–6 years, and she was the girl of my dreams. Then I found out she was in the final stage of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It was a complete shock. Despite everything we tried, she passed away within two months. I was broken and shattered."

Vivek Oberoi reveals that working with children battling cancer helped him recover from his sweetheart's death

The pain Vivek Oberoi experienced is one most of us can only imagine. However, the actor found a medium to cope with his agony that helped not only him but also others. Vivek told MensXP that he was only able to recover from the tragic loss of his childhood sweetheart after he started 'working with children battling cancer.' In Vivek's words:

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"Her death affected me so deeply that, for a long time, I would see her in random people walking by, even though I was there at her cremation. I had closure, but I refused to accept that she was gone. What helped me was working with children battling cancer."

Vivek noted that this painful experience had completely altered his perspective on life and relationships. The actor stated that ever since then, he has been far more mindful about cherishing every moment with the ones he loves. As fate would have it, Vivek found love again in his wife, Priyanka Alva, whom he has been married to for over 14 years. The beautiful couple is also parents to two kids, Vivaan Veer and Ameya Nirvana.

What do you think about Vivek Oberoi's heart-wrenching story about losing his childhood sweetheart?

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