Dying Father Walks Daughter Down Aisle for Wedding During His Final Hours

By Amanda Thomason
Published July 15, 2018 at 4:04pm

Wedding planning is a wonderful, terrible, joyful, stressful time of life. After the proposal there are so many details to decide on, so many little traditions to observe.

When did we decide to make weddings huge, lavish affairs that cost more than a car? Why does every guest need bubbles or seeds or sparklers?

Well, in general, because guests are supposed to enjoy themselves. Weddings are about the bride and groom, yes: but they’re also about the people in attendance.

And while the most difficult decision for some brides-to-be is what flavor cake they should choose, for others it’s wondering whether or not their loved ones will be able to attend.

Crystal Adams of Springfield, Missouri, planned on getting married next year.

She’d found “the one,” they wanted to get married, and next year seemed like a good time — until they got some horrible news.

Her dad was sick. Really sick. He wouldn’t be able to wait a year.

“My dad has cancer they say is untreatable,” Adams said. That changed everything.

Of course every girl wants their dad at their wedding. Adams had to worry about whether or not her dad would be able to make it, but she also had to process the news and what that meant for the family.

So she talked with the nurses at Mercy Hospital to see what she could do for her dad, Curtis.

“She said, ‘We’re going to do a wedding today in the room,’” one nurse named Christine Mason said. The hospital had a chapel — so Adams decided to whip up a ceremony that she knew her dad would be able to attend.

A small gathering was held. Adams wore a beautiful second-hand dress and held flowers that had been donated. Her dad even managed to walk a few steps with her down the aisle.

Mason said that was a big deal for him: “Standing up, for him — it’s huge. But, I think he had all the right reasons to be walking today.”

As far as Adams is concerned, everything turned out perfectly. “Couldn’t have asked for a better day,” she said.

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Amanda Thomason

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Amanda holds an MA in Rhetoric and TESOL from Cal Poly Pomona. After teaching composition and logic for several years, she's strayed into writing full-time and especially enjoys animal-related topics.

As of January 2019, Amanda has written over 1,000 stories for The Western Journal but doesn't really know how. Graduating from California State Polytechnic University with a MA in Rhetoric/Composition and TESOL, she wrote her thesis about metacognitive development and the skill transfer between reading and writing in freshman students.
She has a slew of interests that keep her busy, including trying out new recipes, enjoying nature, discussing ridiculous topics, reading, drawing, people watching, developing curriculum, and writing bios. Sometimes she has red hair, sometimes she has brown hair, sometimes she's had teal hair.
With a book on productive communication strategies in the works, Amanda is also writing and illustrating some children's books with her husband, Edward.

Location

Austin, Texas

Languages Spoken

English und ein bißchen Deutsch

Topics of Expertise

Faith, Animals, Cooking