Not every woman has the opportunity to have her father walk her down the aisle on her big day. Jeni Stepien was one of those women. Her father was unfortunately murdered in 2006, a decade before she even wed. But, instead of walking herself down the aisle, Jeni decided to have another man to do the job. And no, it wasn’t her grandfather, uncle, or brother. In fact, it wasn’t a family member at all, not even a friend or her future husband. It was someone she had never met!
Jeni asked a very special man by the name of Arthur Thomas to walk her on her big day. Since her dad was an organ donor, Arthur got his heart after he passed away. The man was in dire need of a new heart for a whopping 16 years before receiving Michael’s organ donation. Michael did Arthur a big favor, but Arthur also paid it back. He walked his daughter down the aisle with her father’s beating heart!
The selfless man came all the way from New Jersey to Swissville, Pennsylvania for the special moment. In fact, Jeni and Arthur didn’t meet until right before the wedding. In video footage showing the two meeting for the first time, both appear to be fully immersed in the emotional moment. There are hugs and tears and a loving conversation. The woman even puts her hand on his wrist so she can feel her dad’s pulse one last time. Then, she places her hand on Arthur’s chest in complete awe.
After the wedding, the two shared a beautiful father-daughter dance with one another. Just seeing them together made my heart jump with joy. It gave me chills thinking that two complete strangers could be so emotionally bonded the way these two were.
While her birth father could not be present, I’m 100% positive that Jeni’s dad would be very touched by who she chose to represent him at her wedding. Never have I ever heard a story like this one before. I think the newlywed bride made the right choice by choosing Arthur as it made her wedding day special not just for herself and her family but also in honoring her father.
As a final word, I must say, I have an even stronger sense of gratitude for those who choose to donate their organs as it isn’t something everyone is able to do.
To watch Jeni meet Arthur for the first time, and then be walked down the aisle, watch the clip below!
