Just when Ally Polries Mast thought she was in for the best, happiest day of her life, she encountered her worst.
A few days before her wedding day, she was hit with the news that her beloved father, Paul Polries, had passed away. It was last minute and unexpected.
Her father loved her husband-to-be, Derek Mast, who he happily took in as his son-in-law. Now he would never walk Ally down the aisle, witness the two lovers exchange vows, or have a dance with his daughter after the ceremony.
It wasn’t completely over though.
Paul did have some final words he left behind to comfort his daughter on the big day. He may not have been there to walk her down the aisle, but he could have her read these final words, since he wrote his wedding speech before he died.
The husband and wife duo behind Revelation Video, Lindsay and Scott Beegle, teamed up to capture his final message to his daughter in a way that will have an impact on his family for the rest of their lives.
Paul’s wife, Jeanne, read the words on his behalf. Suddenly, he was immortalized; Ally and Derek were given something they could hold onto forever and even turn to during times of sorrow and need.
“On the day that Ally was born, as a new father, I imagined two events in her life: her college graduation and this, her wedding day. So today is really a realization of that dream and it takes me back to what made this day possible,” Jeanne read.
Her father went on to tell the story of how Ally and Derek met while they were studying abroad in China for six months in college. It was there that he met Derek for the first time and loved him right off the bat. Ally’s mother questioned whether or not the two were dating.
Paul made a joke, “I said ‘No way! He’s not interested in her…’ Thank goodness I was wrong and here we are today celebrating the beginning of their new lives together.”
“Around the time that Hurricane Irma hit Florida, I was thinking about what advice I would give Ally and Derek as they start this new adventure. A hurricane made landfall on Florida peninsula at Marco Island, the very spot that we have spent countless family vacations.”
Paul went on to recognize a small piece of hope that he had encountered during the time of the devastation. It was a Facebook post that appeared during the clean-up efforts. It read: “The worst storms test the strength of our anchors.”
“My advice to you is to focus on your anchors. Few young couples have been through the bad storm that you have been through this year,” Paul said, referring to the time Ally had a heart attack.
“The love you have for each other is the most important anchor. Your families are important anchors, too.”
“Keep your faith, and remember the people you loved and loved you and have passed away. I would like to make a toast that your lives together have many sunny days and that your anchors are strong enough to hold you steady in life’s storms. I give you my wholehearted blessing, best wishes, congratulations. We love you both.”
The Beegles shared in a post that, while it was one of the hardest videos they have ever made, it also turned out to be the most beautiful.
Watch the whole clip below.
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