It was William “Willie” Shelton’s dream to walk all seven of his daughters down the aisle at their weddings. But the U.S. Army veteran who served during Operation Iraqi Freedom was dying of brain cancer and, with just weeks to live, it wasn’t a realistic goal.
He was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) Grade 4 in 2017 just one day after he saw his doctor for severe headaches. The next week he underwent surgery, but the aggressive tumors came back immediately.
That’s when the family concocted a creative plan to make sure he could fulfill his dying wish that same year.
His only married daughter, Emily Flinn, had gotten married in a courthouse and there was no opportunity to walk her down the aisle at the informal ceremony. So Willie’s wife Cheryl told him she would arrange for the couple to renew their vows in the couple’s back yard.
But with last-minute help from LifeCare Hospice, David’s Bridal, Taylor Elchert Photography in Tiffin, Ohio, a local hair studio, and other local business, all 7 of Willie Shelton’s daughters showed up in wedding dresses to take their turn walking down the aisle with their dad in the simulated ceremony.
“We had this idea we put together in three days. We got all the wedding gowns for the girls and hospice helped us out a great deal with some of the planning,” Cheryl told Fox 8 News Cleveland.
Three days isn’t enough time to get fitted for a wedding dress, but the women and girls sent in their measurements and made it work.
Then, just a few days later, Willie sat in a wheelchair in his dress uniform for the ceremony, but he was shocked to see more than one daughter in a wedding dress come out of the house.
“He looked a little confused, and then it was just great to see everybody,” said Flinn.
The proud father was able to get out of his chair with assistance to walk Jennifer Talbot, Candice Talbot, Emily Flinn, Lindsey Shelton, Cortney Shelton, Liberty “Gracie” Shelton, and Samantha “Sami” Shelton down the aisle separately.
It didn’t just mean a lot to Willie, but to his daughters as well, who hardly realized what they’d be missing out on until that day.
“I always assumed that my dad would be there to walk me down the aisle and when the possibility was there that he wasn’t going to be able to — this was everything,” said daughter Lindsey Shelton.
Two weeks after the event, Willie Shelton passed away from brain cancer at the young age of 44.
“This was very touching for him and it was a dream that we could fulfill to the best or the closest we could possibly do,” said Cheryl.
While his girls won’t have their father to walk them down the aisle at their real weddings, they will all carry a locket with a photo of themselves in their wedding dresses with him by their side.
Engraved on the back are the words “a father’s love never ends.”
Be sure to scroll down below to see an interview with the family.
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