'We repeated "I love you" three times': Rory Feek reveals his late wife Joey's final words to him were taken from the lyrics of one of his songs

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Rory Feek has revealed the heartbreaking last words his late wife Joey shared with him right before she died of cervical cancer six months ago. 

The 51-year-old, who is now a single parent to their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Indiana, explained that their finals words to each other had a significant meaning in their marriage. 

'We repeated "I love you" three times to each other,' he told People. 'It's the last line of a song I wrote years ago called '"Josephine", an imaginary love story between a husband and wife.' 

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Final words: Rory Feek revealed that he and his late wife Joey repeated 'I love you' three times to each other before she died in March. They are pictured with their daughter Indiana 

Breaking down: Rory also recalled the heartbreaking moment he and Joey realized she would lose her battle to cancer and leave him to raise their daughter Indiana alone

Rory went on to say that he and Joey, who passed away at age 40, used those three words frequently throughout their relationship. 

'For most all of our marriage — in the birthday, Valentine's Day, or anniversary cards we gave each other and before we went to bed — we have always said the same thing,' he explained.

Rory also recalled in a new video the heartbreaking moment the mother-of-one realized she would be leaving him to raise their daughter Indiana by himself.

The country singer, who has two older daughters from a previous marriage, welcomed Indiana into the world just months before Joey was diagnosed with cancer in 2014.

Painful realization: The 51-year-old said Joey (right) couldn't bear the thought of him becoming a single dad for the second time. Their daughter Indiana is now two-and-a-half years old 

Tearful memories: Rory said that Joey told him it isn't fair because he had already been a single dad once before

'When the time came that we realized that Joey was most likely not going to make it through this cancer ... one of the hardest things was coming to realize that I was going to be back here again where I was before, but this time raising Indiana,' he said.   

Rory, whose interview with People was filmed inside the farm in Pottsville, Tennessee, he shared with Joey, explained that his late wife was devastated that he would have to become a single parent for the second time in his life. 

'She just couldn't bear the idea that she was going to leave me a single parent again because I'd already been through it,' he said.

Rory, who raised his eldest daughters Heidi, 29, and Hopie, 27, as a single dad, started to break down as he remembered the conversation they had about what his life would be like without her. 

Learnging to cope: The country singer lost his wife wife to cervical cancer six months ago

Memories: Rory also raised Heidi and Hopie, his two eldest daughters from a previous marriage, as a single dad

'She told me right on the porch out there,' he recalled. 'She said, "It's not fair. You're not supposed to have to do this again." I said, "But on the other hand, I'm perfect. I already know how."' 

Despite his painful loss, Rory is relying on his family and his faith to help him look to the future. 

'God just keeps showing up and magically making what are our worst fears beautiful,' he said. 

Rory's daughters Heidi and Hopie are now helping him raise their younger half-sister, and the doting dad is honoring his wife with the film To Joey, With Love. 

The collection of edited home videos will be shown in select cities on September 20 and October 6. 

Support system: Heidi, 29, and Hopie, 27, are now helping Rory raise Indiana 

Eternal love: Despite his painful loss, Rory is relying on his family and his faith to help him look to the future. Rory is pictured cuddling Joey before she passed away 

Just last week, Rory shared an emotional video featuring clips of Joey with Indiana, as he revealed how his youngest daughter has given him strength since she passed away. 

Rory took to his personal blog to share the footage highlighting the tender moments between Indiana and her late mother, Joey, who was also his musical partner in Joey + Rory.

'God doesn’t make mistakes,' Rory wrote, as he described watching Indiana stir in her crib last week.

'Indiana is not less than any other child. Different is not less. Having Down syndrome doesn’t make her life any less meaningful than someone else’s or her dreams or feelings any less important. Not as a child and I suspect, not in the years to come when she grows to be an adult.'

Having faith: Rory, who is pictured reading with Indiana on his lap, said 'God just keeps showing up and magically making what are our worst fears beautiful' 

Bright light: Rory said Indiana has given him strength in the months after his wife's passing

Joey passed away from cervical cancer on March 4 at age 40, right before Mother's Day, and Rory explained that watching his daughter grow up gives him renewed strength after the heartbreak of his loss.

'Watching her sit up, look around, then roll back over… and listening to her talk to herself and her hands, I’m reminded what a gift she is,' he wrote.

He also recalled how loved ones would tell him they were sorry upon hearing of her diagnosis with Down syndrome.

'That’s such a strange response to the birth of a child,' Rory wrote. 'Maybe they were just sensing the confusion in my voice or more likely, they didn’t know what to say. I didn’t and don’t think anything negative about their responses.'

Mom and daughter: The couple, who made up the country music duo Joey + Rory, welcomed their child into the world just a few months before Joey was diagnosed with cancer

Happier times: Joey, who is pictured laughing with Indiana, passed away at the age of 40 

Guiding light: Rory said watching his daughter grow up gives him renewed strength in his darkest hours

Rory went on to call his baby daughter a 'gift.'

'Some learn faster, some slower,' he wrote of children with Down syndrome. 'Some are silent and some vocal. Some crawl and walk earlier than others and some, like Indy… take their time. 

'But they are all beautiful. All gifts from heaven above.' 

Rory and Joey had dreamed for years of welcoming their own child after tying the knot in 2002. Their wish became a reality when the couple welcomed Indiana in 2014 in what Rory said 'was a dream come true in more ways than most people know'. 

Dream come true: Rory and Joey (pictured) spent years wishing for a child of their own after tying the knot in 2002

Terrible loss: Joey 'cried and cried' when she found out little Indiana would grow up without a mom

Joey was diagnosed with cancer in June 2014, just a few months after she and Rory welcomed Indiana. The cancer eventually spread and, in October 2015, doctors revealed there was nothing they could do for Joey. 

That fall, when the couple found out Joey wouldn't survive much longer, the two sat in their backyard as Joey 'cried and cried'.

'But not because of the news that the cancer had spread and there was nothing more the doctors could do,' Rory wrote in a previous blog. 

'She cried because Indy was going to lose her mama, and I was going to be a single father again.' 

Doting mom: Joey, who was diagnosed with cancer in June 2014, can be seen playing with Indiana in her hospital bed 

Rory has since renewed his relationship with his eldest daughters Heidi and Hopie, admitting that at time he was once 'more concerned about being a great songwriter than being a great father'.   

Joey was a restaurant owner when she met Rory, falling in love with him as he performed during a songwriter's night.

And while Rory was a noted songwriter who had penned hits for artists such as Blake Shelton, the couple got their big break in 2008 when they appeared on the reality show 'Can You Duet' on Country Music Television.

They finished in third place on the show and signed a record contract soon after, making music together up until her death.