A loving wife was determined not to let her husband’s cancer diagnosis get in the way of their anniversary tradition – surprising him at his hospital bedside while wearing her wedding dress.
Every year since her marriage to husband Danny, 25 years ago, Kathy Nawjczyk has donned her gorgeous wedding dress on the couple’s anniversary, no matter what the circumstances.
This year, however, Danny, 61, had to spend the couple’s anniversary at Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey, having been diagnosed with terminal cancer in October 2018.
The diagnosis came as a complete shock, Kathy said, with Danny having first been diagnosed with cancer back in September 2017, before a kidney removal later saw the disease spread to his lymph system.
On the couple’s anniversary of May 21, Kathy, 61, decided to keep up her annual tradition as a way of lifting Danny’s spirits.
When she entered the room, Danny’s face immediately lit up, the couple bursting into laughter before embracing.
Kathy, who lives in Union, New Jersey, said: “To see his reaction was such a feeling of pure joy – there’s really no other way to describe it.
“After we were married, people asked me if I was going to preserve my dress.
“I remember thinking, why would I do that? I didn’t want to wear someone else’s dress, so why would anyone want to wear mine.
“And the thought of paying, at the time, $100 to put my dress in a box just didn’t make sense to me.
“So that’s when I decided I would wear it every year on our anniversary.”
Danny added: “I was entirely overwhelmed that she would go through such lengths to not break a 25-year tradition, even though I am fighting a terminal disease, just to give me a moment of joy and laughter.
“I don’t know how many wives would do that – I consider myself the luckiest man on the earth for the love she shows me every day.”
By sharing the video with others, Kathy hopes to let people know that “no matter what life hands you, there is still joy to be had.”
Family members’ faces have been “priceless” when they have seen the video, Kathy said, with this year’s surprise perhaps topping the lot.
In the past, Kathy has shown up with a cup of morning coffee in the dress; another time she decided to cook dinner in it.
Danny added: “Appreciate all the little things in life – you don’t know how long you will have them.”
Story courtesy of T&T Creative Media