A terminally ill father, an innocent 11-year-old daughter, and a wedding that one has never seen, or heard of before! This video is like none other. This touching story is that of a father, who is aware that he won’t be able to see his daughter getting married, does not want to miss on the joy of walking her down the aisle. He wants to leave her with the emotions of walking to the altar holding her father’s hand. You would probably understand better once you watch this short clip. We could not stop the tears from rolling, and we are sure this will touch your heart too. Just take a look.
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When Jim Zetz realised that the pancreatic cancer he had would not allow him to survive long enough to see his daughter’s wedding, he decided to beat the odds. The path he chose to do it was not just unique, but inspirational as well.
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This wedding was a gift from a celebrity photographer, who said that after taking the family’s final portraits together, she wanted to do something special for them. So, putting the plan in action, together with family and friends, Jim and his wife, actually organised a wedding for their little girl, 11-year-old Josie! Leaving all pain and gloominess of his illness behind, a beautiful, vintage-themed event was planned. It included everything, from a stunning, tiny little wedding dress for the “bride” to the very quaint decorations and even presents!
Josie, then, was able to experience what cancer was trying to rob her of- being walked down the aisle by her father. As they walked down that aisle, not a single eye was left dry.
Naturally the young girl is yet to understand what a wedding really means. But she knows, and can feel her father's emotions, and what this special event means to him. It was her birthday, and probably no other day could have been a better choice for this special occasion.
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So, after coming home from school, she experienced this very emotional ceremony. At the altar, the pastor said, “Your dad may not get to see you get married. But, he is here today to walk you down the aisle.” As Jim placed a promise ring on his daughter’s finger, the pastor pronounced them “daddy and daughter”, adding that the father-daughter relationship is one of the most special relationships.
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Below is the whole video that captures every moment before and after the wedding. The emotions are so vivid that they leave you captivated. Josie seems like a perfect blend of innocence and maturity. While she is well aware of the seriousness of her father’s illness, she also looks a little overwhelmed with what is happening around her.
Long after Jim is gone, we wonder what it would be like on the day his daughter actually gets married. Would this “wedding” be enough? The answer is a resounding yes, because not only did he not miss her wedding, but also left her with an emotional treasure of memories to cherish forever.