Watch: Bride Travels 800 Miles to Surprise Grandfather After Stroke Causes Him to Miss Wedding
Couples who’ve decided to tie the knot despite the unforeseen circumstances that have gripped the world over the past year and a half have developed a high tolerance for ambiguity and flexed their creative muscles.
Many postponed official celebrations in hopes that happier, more travel-conducive times lay ahead, or made sure to incorporate the special people in their lives by bringing the celebration to them.
Natalie Browning of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was set to wed her beau Cooper on June 27. It was an event that her 94-year-old grandfather, Nelson May, was very much looking forward to.
May was especially excited to get to celebrate with Natalie by dancing with her at the reception — but two weeks before the couple exchanged vows, he experienced a stroke that erased all his travel plans.
The wedding went ahead as planned, but Natalie had an idea.
“My sweet grandpa was so excited to dance with me at my wedding and was heartbroken when he found out two weeks prior that medical issues prevented him from coming,” she posted on Facebook.
“So… we brought the wedding to him :’) Just some #goodnews for your timeline today.”
The newlywed packed her dress, jumped on a flight, did her hair and makeup at the airport and showed up at her grandpa’s Florida home to recreate the moment that had been stolen from them.
“Getting the wedding dress through the airport was a struggle to say the least, but it was all worth it when I saw his amazing reaction,” she said of the heartfelt surprise, according to the U.K.’s Daily Mail.
“For months he’d been so excited to dance with me on my wedding night and I’m just so happy that I was able to give him that experience. I don’t get to see him very often so it truly was a special day.”
Natalie made the choice to fly 800 miles to have that dance because her grandpa was incredibly important to her and she wanted to make sure he felt loved.
“I run a small jewelry business called Of Great Value that is centered around reminding people that they are deeply valuable,” she told South West News Service, according to Fox News.
“I’ve been trying to implement that belief more in my own life and wanted my grandpa to know that he is incredibly valuable to me, and even though he was unable to come to my wedding, that the dance he so desired to have with me was valuable too.
“So, we made it happen.”
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