A dying father’s final wish came true as he tied the knot with the love of his life in the hospital moments before he passed away.
33-year-old Gary Smart, who was diagnosed with aggressive lung cancer just weeks before his passing, only had one wish – to die a married man – when the doctors gave him days to live.
Just hours before the disease took his life, Gary tied the knot with the love of his life, 31-year-old Laura Smart, whom she has six children with.
The heartbreaking ceremony took place at the Northampton General Hospital where the staff helped arrange a buffet for guests in one of the wards.
In bittersweet photos, the couple was seen embracing each other seven hours before Gary succumbed to terminal cancer.
“After Gary was diagnosed with terminal cancer he told me he wanted to die a married man,” Laura said in an interview.
“We thought we might have more time together but it wasn’t to be. Last Friday the staff said it wouldn’t be long and they helped us organize our wedding.
“Mum and I went out, got the rings, came back and we were told the staff had sorted it all. They said, ‘We’ve got your special marriage license and a priest. You’re getting married at seven o’clock.’
“We had about 25 people there. We said we should have done it years ago. It was like everyone was saying goodbye to him at the same time. We all knew he was going to go.”
Despite having been married for just seven hours, Laura is grateful to have the chance to get married and spend valuable time with her love.
“He was very selfless and caring. Last year, I was off work for a while with an infection and he knew I couldn’t afford Christmas,” the grieving mother added.
“He went out and bought presents for my daughter. As long as his kids got what they needed, that was all that mattered. The kids always came first.”
What are your thoughts on this story? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to SHARE this post with your family and friends and follow us on Facebook for more news and stories!
Replaced!