A bride couldn’t hold back her tears of happiness when her groom surprised her with a teddy bear containing her late grandpa’s voice on their wedding day.
Growing up, Shannon Hyatali, 30, often visited grandfather Shoffie in Trinidad, where the pair shared a love of ice cream, the Caribbean heat, and listening to a mix CD Shoffie made for their drives in his car.
She always dreamed of one day having him at her wedding, and even in adult life, Shoffie was Shannon’s biggest supporter – whether it be through her schooling or trying new hobbies – texting every day despite him going through a battle with cancer.
Shannon’s then-boyfriend, Matt, asked for Shoffie’s blessing to propose while he was sick, but unfortunately, Shoffie passed aged 79 before his granddaughter’s big day.
Knowing how much it would have meant to Shannon, from Ontario, Canada, for her grandfather to be there, Matt decided to plan a surprise gesture for his bride.
He visited a Build-A-Bear workshop and created a teddy resembling Shoffie, complete with details like his clothing and replica glasses, even adding a voice recording of Shoffie blessing their marriage.
As Shannon received the gift, she read a note from Matt that said he wished he could bring Gramps back and that he hoped what was inside the box was something she could take to the ceremony.
Shannon then began to get emotional when she saw the bear’s glasses, which reminded her of her grandfather, and pressed the toy’s audio message.
It was then that she heard her grandfather’s voice one more, fighting back tears at the sweet gesture, which took place on August 3, 2024, and later shared on social media in 2026.
The moment meant a lot to Shannon’s mom, too, as she took the bear to the ceremony and carried it down the aisle with her, as Shannon always imagined her grandpa accompanying her mom on the day.
Shannon said: “I am choked up even now just remembering it – I don’t think I was expecting something that thoughtful.
“Most grooms gift their bride purses, jewelry, some kind of over-the-top last present – but this was overwhelmingly perfect.
“It was exactly what I needed, and my mom got to carry the bear down the aisle too.
“She cradled it the whole ride to the church, it was equally meaningful for her.
“I know having lost both her parents to cancer has been tough, I have no doubt he would’ve escorted her down the aisle had he been there.
“So Matt’s gift was layered in many ways.”
