It took only 24 hours and the help of hospital staff to grant Debbie Nelson’s dying wish: to witness her daughter Melissa walk down the aisle.
Nelson is terminally ill and is battling adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that forms in mucus-secreting glands throughout the body.
Doctors had an idea of hosting Melissa’s wedding in the garden area at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, Wisc., where Nelson is being cared for.
“This was absolutely amazing. I never expected anything like this,” Nelson told local news station Channel 3000. “I came here a few days ago feeling very sick but knowing that I had one goal, and that was to see my daughter get married.”
On Friday, hospital volunteers and staff helped set up decorations, catering and chairs for the 30 guests. They transformed the garden area into a wedding venue.
“The garden area seemed perfect for a small wedding,” Jim Korth, a public relations specialist with SSM health told Global News.
As for Nelson, she says she is eternally grateful for all the help she received to be a part of a special day.
“People came from everywhere and offered to help, and made this one of the best days of my entire life,” she said.