A couple who had their wedding in the hospital because of the groom’s desperate need for a lung transplant finally hosted their dream wedding after he received an organ donation and made an inspiring recovery.
For Garrett White, 33, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the road to his wedding to Taylor Clark, 33, was a years-long journey with hospital visits, operations and scares – but it was the thought of marrying Taylor that kept Garrett looking forward.
Prior to meeting Taylor, Garrett was a seemingly healthy 23-year-old – but, over time, he started having random aches, pains and a persistent cough.
After doctors noticed scarring on Garrett’s lungs, he was initially diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a rare condition causing small patches of swollen tissue to develop in the organs of the body.
That diagnosis then changed in 2016 to a form of vasculitis, a group of conditions that cause inflammation of the blood vessels, which doctors identified as being present in Garrett’s lungs.
Over the next three or four years – during which time he met Taylor – Garrett managed his condition, experiencing only the occasional flare-up.
But it wasn’t until Garrett contracted COVID – first in July 2020, and then again in January 2021 – that his health started to rapidly trend downwards.
The virus was believed to have scarred Garrett’s lungs further, which led to collapsed lungs, infections, and the need for three surgeries to prevent continual collapses.
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Between 2021 and 2022, Garrett visited the hospital between 15 and 20 times, and despite trying all they could, Garrett’s oxygen levels continued to decrease, so the couple decided in December 2022 that they needed to start researching transplant facilities.
At this point, not knowing what the future would hold, Garrett and Taylor sped through several key milestones in their life with Garrett proposing to Taylor in February 2023.
But with his condition worsening, he was advised to head to the Houston Methodist Hospital’s ER unit in April.
There, staff immediately assessed Garrett’s urgent need for a lung transplant, while Taylor found accommodation in a rental house for the foreseeable future.
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On May 4, Taylor received a call to say Garrett had been added to the transplant list, and then, five hours later, it was declared there was a match and the transplant would happen on May 6.
The day before the transplant, the couple, who were excited and scared of the potential outcomes, decided to have a quick marriage in Garrett’s hospital ward.
After seven hours of surgery, Garrett’s transplant was deemed a success, and, despite having been on oxygen for six months prior, his new lungs were soon functioning without the need for assistance.
Over the months that followed, Garrett said it was the thought of seeing his wife in a wedding dress, walking down the aisle, that inspired him through his recovery.
And then, on May 4, 2024, at a stunning venue in Baton Rouge, Garrett finally saw his dream come true.
Many guests wiped away tears as Taylor came down the aisle, and all around the venue there were subtle reminders of Garrett’s lung transplant, journey and the importance of organ donation.
Taylor said: “When we got engaged, we started talking about what we wanted our wedding to look like, even though we knew we would not be able to have that wedding unless something changed, whether that be a miraculous improvement of Garrett’s health with no transplant, or a transplant.
“As Garrett was recovering at our rental house, we started talking about whether we’d have a wedding celebration.
“We initially talked about maybe just having a big party at some point, but then Garrett shared something with me.
“He told me that one of the things that allowed him to escape the physical and emotional pain was picturing me walking down the aisle to him in a wedding dress.
“After he told me that, I knew we had to do the whole thing, wedding ceremony and reception.
“We also wanted to celebrate with the many friends and family members that supported us along the way.
“Without them, it would have been impossible.
“Not only did we want to celebrate our marriage, but we also wanted to celebrate Garrett’s gift of life.”