Grab a tissue and watch as a mom dances with her son at his wedding after being placed on hospice care two weeks before. I couldn’t get through the article without tears. My heart swelled for this mama, Olivia Armao. Her story shows how deeply a mother’s love runs–a love so fierce it defies even the most challenging circumstances.
As we think about Olivia’s incredible strength, it’s hard not to reflect on how moms show up for us, even when it’s hard. Whether through their words, their actions, or just the comfort of being there, their love is something we carry with us forever.
RELATED: Teen with Terminal Brain Cancer Shares the Heart-Wrenching Reality of Her Final Days
When God calls a mother home, her love doesn’t disappear. It’s still alive in the lessons she taught, the hugs she gave, and the memories we hold close. Olivia was diagnosed with breast cancer in the early 2000s. Olivia fought valiantly to overcome it, going into remission and cherishing the years that followed with her family.
But when the cancer returned and metastasized in May 2021, the battle became more challenging. By October 2024, doctors had placed her in hospice care, just two weeks before her son Salvatore’s wedding. Salvatore’s fiancee Kelsey had even suggested they could hold the ceremony in Olivia’s hospital room if needed. But this mother gathered her strength in what would be a precious moment her family would hold on to for years to ensure her son and new daughter-in-law would have the wedding of their dreams, and she would get to dance with her son–for the last time.
In the video, Salvatore wraps his mother in a hug as the song The Maze by Manchester Orchestra with the caption, “Such an emotional moment at my brother’s wedding after our mom was put on hospice and we weren’t sure if she would be able to attend the wedding.”
The moment of love and grace doesn’t stop there. Soon, other family members join them, holding each other, with Olivia at the center of it all. What a beautiful moment this family will remember forever. It’s a moment that will bring comfort and joy when the Lord calls their mama home.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Hospice Nurses Grant Dying Man's Wish To Be Baptized: 'I've Always Loved Jesus'
Proverbs 31:28 "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her."
@xolivrose 💞 #breastcancer #breastcancerawareness ♬ The Maze - Manchester Orchestra
h/t: People
Photo Credit: TikTok/xolivrose