One 97-year-old did not have a wedding dress to wear when she got married back in 1944. But on her 77th wedding anniversary, she was able to don a beautiful white dress for the special celebration.
Frankie King married her husband on September 16, 1944. And in September 2021, the couple celebrated 77 years of marriage! The pair reenacted their wedding ceremony at St. Croix Hospice in Iowa where Frankie is staying. And the staff there was able to find Frankie a wedding dress to wear since she didn’t have one when she first got married.
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The whole event was beautifully captured by Hilary Michelson, who is a photographer and staff member at St. Croix Hospice.
"It was so hard to keep from crying behind the lens as I got to witness the emotion with this beautiful couple, and the love and compassion that their team poured into preparing this event for them," Hilary shared.
Before Frankie walked out to meet her husband at the altar, her daughter, Sue Bilodeau, helped her get into the wedding dress. Frankie was such a stunning bride! And the music therapist at the hospice center even played 1940s songs while Frankie was walking towards her husband.
"The light in her eyes — I wish everyone could have seen it. She told me she felt so beautiful," said Kaice Derr, a St. Croix Hospice Aide. "It was so touching to be a part of that. I've never worked for a company that would do something so wholesome and heartfelt for someone."
The photographer, Hilary, also shared how heartwarming this experience was for her. "My experience in working with end-of-life care has taught me so many valuable experiences," she shared. "The most important of them all being that there's going to be a day where all we have are these little moments frozen in time. That's what motivates me behind the camera — making sure I capture those memories for families."
And Frankie’s family is so grateful to the staff at the hospice center for making this special moment happen. "Words cannot express the gratitude our family has for the amazing staff at St. Croix for making this day happen," shared Frankie’s daughter, Sue, on social media. "Just to see my Mom looking in her mirror prior to the ceremony and seeing Dad's smile light up when he glimpsed Mom in her beautiful dress. Couldn't see through the tears."
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What a beautiful moment that reminds us of the importance of community and love!
h/t: People
Featured Image Credit: Facebook