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Daughter fulfills dying father’s final wish with hospital wedding
Stephanie, 29, had been scheduled to marry her fiancé, Jon Wilson, in February. But her plans suddenly changed after her 81-year-old father, Jaime Rodriguez, was critically injured in a Sept. 7 crash in Coral Springs, Florida.
Jaime was taken to Broward Health's trauma intensive care unit, where doctors determined that his condition was critical.
Her Father's One Last Wish
Stephanie said her father had always dreamed of seeing his only daughter get married.
“He always told me how beautiful I would look on my wedding day,” she recalled, “and how excited he was to share that first dance with me.”
Knowing time was running out, Stephanie and Jon decided they could not wait until their original wedding date.
Two days after the crash, they exchanged their vows at Jaime's hospital bedside.
A Wedding in the ICU
On Sept. 9, Stephanie put on a simple white wedding dress and veil and walked into her father's hospital room.
With family gathered around them, an officiant performed the ceremony while Jaime lay in his hospital bed.
Video from the emotional moment shows Stephanie holding Jon's hands as they exchanged vows before turning toward her father.
Jaime could not speak, but Stephanie noticed that he was able to move his fingers slightly.
To her, that was enough.
She believed her father was aware of what was happening and understood that his daughter had finally become a bride.
Two Days Later, He Was Gone
The hospital wedding became one of the final memories Stephanie would ever share with her father.
Jaime died just two days later, on Sept. 11.
The timing made the wedding even more emotional for Stephanie, who said she was grateful that her father was able to experience the moment he had dreamed about.
She later discovered a drawing of an altar that Jaime had apparently planned to build for her wedding.
“He was holding on as much as he could,” Stephanie said.
Finding Light in the Heartbreak
Stephanie knows the wedding could never replace the day she originally imagined.
But she also believes her father received something meaningful in his final days — the chance to see his daughter married.
“Even in heartbreak there can be light,” she said. “And I know he's proud.”
She added that she believes her father will continue to be with her as she moves forward with her life and marriage.
A Father's Love That Will Stay With Her
Jaime was the sole provider for his family, according to Local 10, and his sudden death has left his loved ones facing both grief and financial hardship. A GoFundMe has been established to help Stephanie and her mother.
For Stephanie, however, the hospital wedding gave her something she will carry for the rest of her life.
Her father may not have been able to walk her down the aisle or share their planned first dance, but he was there.
And for one final moment, Stephanie was able to give her dad exactly what he had always wanted: to see his daughter become a bride.
Source: Local 10 News
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