Daughter holds wedding at cancer hospital so terminally ill mom can attend
As her mother was battling cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, one Texas woman pushed forward her wedding date to make sure her mom could be in attendance.
Cathryn Copeland was married to Conner Wood on October 22 at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas where Copeland's mother Janet was undergoing treatment for cancer.
"Two and a half weeks before the wedding, as soon as (Cathryn's mom Janet) was admitted, my fiance and I at the time talked about moving it there," Coleman told ABC. We just kind of told my wedding planner and she took care of the whole thing."
Coleman says that her mother was very happy with how the touching ceremony unfolded.
"She was overjoyed, she was really filled with joy that day," Coleman said. "That was all that we wanted, to see her have a happy blessed day in the midst of the serious trial she was going through."
"Everyone was over the moon, people were celebrating and she was happy and celebrating with us," Coleman said.
Wedding photographer Jess Barfield captured the touching ceremony on camera, as the couple happily married in front of guests and a teary-eyed Janet sitting in the front row.
Barfield describes the heartfelt moment on her blog:
- " All their friends and family selflessly dropped everything to be by their sides as they became man and wife in the beautiful garden on hospital grounds. CC and her mom prepped in the hospital room with Maitee as Conner waited with 75 guests in the garden. I'll never forget the moment CC and her dad were ushered through M.D. Anderson and patients clapped and cheered all the way to the ceremony. The joy was contagious; the day was sacred. Janet went to be with the Lord about 2 weeks after her beautiful daughter's wedding day. Minutes after meeting Janet you could tell that her faith in the Lord was her steadfast hope and her family was her crowning joy. Being a part of this beautiful story has been a humbling, soul-searching, beautiful experience. One that I'll never soon forget."
Janet sadly passed away a few weeks following the ceremony, and a memorial was held for her First Baptist Church Sanctuary in Midland, Texas on November 15. Since the couple has been married, Coleman said that things are difficult but they are still thankful for all their blessings.
"(Conner) is the best person to be married to. It was just three weeks ago that she passed. I'm in law school right now and have finals in two weeks . . . we're in the midst of a 'it rains, it pours' situation. It's been trying, but I don't know what I would do or how I would go about this without him," Coleman said.
"As hard as it is, it would be even harder to have that (wedding) day here without mom still here. We're going through a hard time but feel blessed through all of it and feel thankful for all the gifts along the way."
You can look through the touching photos in the gallery above and at Jess Barfield's website below.
