A grandpa who fought numerous health issues in an effort to make his granddaughter’s wedding was brought to tears when she surprised him with a first-look shoot at his care facility.
Chloe Bingham, from Hodgenville, Kentucky, has always been a “Papaw’s girl,” spending large amounts of time with Grandpa Dale Thompson, 87, as a kid and now helping care for him.
Dale would never miss a soccer game, dance recital, bowling match or awards ceremony, Chloe, 21, said, driving her to and from school and later teaching her to drive.
And so, ahead of her wedding day, Chloe couldn’t think of anything that would bring her more joy than to have Dale see her walk down the aisle.
However, Chloe also admitted she was aware of her grandpa’s health, which had been declining since 2019.
Dale, who suffered from a stroke, also battled diabetes, asthma, kidney disease and congestive heart failure.
Chloe worked in the nursing home where her grandpa was based, and after a fall in March, Dale was found to have broken his back, requiring him to be bed-bound for several weeks.
It was at this point Chloe said her grandpa admitted to her, “Chloe, I am so tired of fighting. I don’t think I’m going to make it to your wedding.”
READ MORE: Stepdad’s Tears of Joy at Wedding Day First Look Melt Hearts
Knowing she had to do something, Chloe called on the help of a hairstylist friend, who she asked if she could help her prepare a wedding dress photo shoot for her grandpa.
With her stylists on board, Chloe then called on the help of a photographer friend, Carmen Elizabeth Aders, as well as those who were currently working on her wedding dress.
At his nursing home in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Dale was told he had a special surprise waiting, and staff who knew of his and Chloe’s bond set aside a private room for the shoot.
As Dale was turned around for the first look shot with his granddaughter, his eyes immediately welled up with tears of pride.
READ MORE: Kindergarten Teacher Has Unique “First Look” Photoshoot With Her Students
Chloe later shared Carmen’s video of the moment on social media, where, down the years, she has shared a series of videos of her and her Papaw bonding together.
The post immediately went viral, receiving over five million views and an outpouring of love in the comments.
Chloe ended her post by showing footage of Dale making her big day itself.
She said: “The staff at the nursing home know how special our bond is, and they used my wedding as motivation for him.
“One day, he looked at one of the nurses and told them he was solely fighting and hanging on for me.
“I could not live with myself knowing he was suffering and hanging on because of me.
“The best way to describe how I felt during this moment was heartbroken.
“This was easily one of the hardest things I had to do – I selfishly wanted him to hang on and make it to my wedding.
“I didn’t want to do this two months early.
“I wanted him there on my wedding day for him to see me marry the guy he always prayed I would find.
“I knew in my heart I had to put my own feelings aside to give him peace and closure to know it was okay if he was ready for his eternal rest and to go be with my Nana.
“When you truly love people, you make sacrifices for them.”