Weddings are among the happiest days of our lives. They allow two people to celebrate their love and cement their commitment to one another with rings and vows, and part of what makes these events so special is the fact that we can enjoy them with all the people we love the most.
Everyone dreams of having their parents smiling from the audience as they say “I do!” and every parent longs for the day they can see their child so happy and in love. Unfortunately, not every mom and dad gets to live through this magical moment.
Becky Carey was brokenhearted when she learned that her dad, US Air Force Colonel Timothy Carey, probably wouldn’t live long enough to attend her wedding.
Becky and Timothy had always imagined the day she got married. They pictured walking down the aisle together as Timothy gave Becky away to her future husband, Matt, and they dreamed of their perfect daddy-daughter dance.
Sadly, they realized that all of that probably wasn’t going to happen. Timothy had been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate and pancreatic cancers back in 2014. He fought against his cancer for several years, but his body gradually weakened and he eventually had to be put into hospice care.
Still, when Becky and Matt got engaged in September of 2018, they hoped that Timothy would make it to the big event. Unfortunately, as time went on, his condition only got worse. Eventually, Becky made a big decision: she decided to call off her engagement photoshoot, contacting the photographer and asking for photos of a different kind.
Becky asked if the photographer could take some photos with her dad, allowing him to feel like a part of the big day and even giving them a chance to have their own special dance, recorded on camera for Becky to watch again and maybe even show her kids someday.
Becky later admitted, during an interview with Inside Edition, that she’d been in denial about how ill her dad really was. Finally, she accepted the truth and enjoyed a wonderful moment with him, talking and laughing together as they posed for one magical photo after another.
She remembers whispering to her 70-year-old dad that the whole thing was “just practice and just for fun” to help them forget their worries and simply enjoy the moment.
The photos are simply magical, both heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time.
Timothy wore his Air Force uniform, showing off his medals, while Becky came to the shoot in her wedding dress, complete with hair and makeup to make it all feel like a true wedding celebration.
Together, the daddy-daughter duo danced to Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers, which was Timothy’s favorite song, and the whole photoshoot occurred in the old family backyard, a place where they had shared many happy times.
Sadly, Timothy died in March of this year, but Becky and Matt still have these amazing photos to look back on and played a video of the special dance at their September wedding. Becky believes her dad held on so long just for her, saying “He fought cancer harder than anyone. He should have died at least seven times prior. I know he was holding on for me.”
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