As a little girl, when I pictured my wedding day, it always included a vision of me gliding down the aisle on my dad’s arm. When I was 22, that dream came true, and it’s one of the best memories of my life. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to have to make that momentous walk without him.
Unfortunately, not every bride gets the joy of having their dad walk them down that aisle. Such was the case with 32-year-old bride Freya Rosati, who lost her dad to cancer when she was just nine years old. Fortunately, Freya’s parents had the foresight to look into the future she would face without a dad, and to try to add his presence into it. Freya’s mom, Teresa, bought several cards, and Freya’s dad, Philip, filled them out with loving messages for his daughter. So even though he couldn’t be there in body, his words, love, and intentions were with her on special occasions.
One such occasion he wrote a card for was her wedding day. He didn’t know when it would be, but he did know he wouldn’t be there even though he badly wanted to. And so, before he left this world, he wrote a special wedding message to his daughter to be shared with her the day she became a wife.
On Freya’s wedding day, at the time when the father of the bride traditionally gives a speech, Freya’s mother stood up and read the handwritten card from her dad. It said:
“I wish I could be standing next to you, the proudest dad in the world, to walk you down the aisle to the man you love, and to the next chapter in your life. Today is your day, enjoy everything about it. Laugh and cry. Be happy and confident.
Face everything full-on. You will then succeed in your life together. You gave me some of the proudest moments in my life with your sense of humor, intelligence, understanding, and caring nature. Don’t ever change. Love you forever, Dad.”
As you might guess, all the wedding guests really needed a hankie to wipe away their tears after listening to Teresa tearfully read the touching message from her late husband for their daughter. Even after over 20 years gone, Freya’s dad’s presence was powerful on her special day. The foresight he showed in making sure she heard from him at her wedding truly shows what a remarkable, loving father he was.
