One bride received an emotional wedding gift when she got to hear her father’s heart beat on her wedding day for the first time in 10 years.
Though Jeni Stepien’s father had passed away a decade ago, he was there in spirit on her wedding day because the man who received his heart showed up to walk her down the aisle.
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Arthur Thomas received a heart transplant from Stepien’s father after he was murdered in 2006.
“I was on death’s door when he was murdered and I needed a heart or I was going to be dying in the next few days,” Thomas told KDKA.
Since her father gave him the gift of life so many years ago, Thomas did not hesitate when he received a letter from his donor’s daughter inviting him to the wedding.
“You can never imagine what that would be like unless you actually do it because so many emotions involved in what you’re doing,” he said of his decision to not only attend the wedding, but walk the bride down the aisle to her groom.
His presence meant a lot to Stepien.
“I was just so thankful that my dad could be here with us today in spirit and a piece of his physical being as well. That was really special for us,” she said.
She even added, “It has been the best day of my life.”
Thomas was also emotional about the day.
“What greater honor could a person have than walking the daughter of the man who’s given his heart to him. I can’t imagine a greater honor,” Thomas said.
This story first appeared at Womanista.
