Bride who had a life-saving organ transplant is walked down the aisle by the father of the donor who died in a crash days before her own wedding
- Diana Donnarumma, 28, required urgent transplant following intestinal failure
- She received life-saving organ from Heather Donnelly who died in a tragic crash
- Diana, from Buffalo, NY, reached out to her family after successful operation
- She discovered Heather had died shortly before was due to marry her own fiancé
- Offered instead to Heather’s father Daniel to walk her down the aisle at her own wedding
This is the tearjerking moment a bride whose life was saved by an organ donation was walked down the aisle at her wedding by her donor’s father.
Diana Donnarumma, 28, from Buffalo, New York, fought back tears as Daniel Donnelly Jr held her hand as they walked into the reception so she could marry her fiance, Conlan Kreher.
But before getting to the alter, Daniel, whose donor daughter Heather died in a car accident in 2017, passed Diana back to her own father, who thanked him for his daughter’s gift.
An intestinal transplant from Heather had helped save Diana’s life, as she was previously in intestinal failure due to the progression of her Dysautonomia, also known as automatic dysfunction.
Diana Donnarumma, 28, was walked down the aisle by Daniel Donnelly Jr, whose daughter Heather had given her a life-saving organ transplant, before being handed to her own father
Years after her life-saving organ transplant, Diana was able to walk down the aisle to marry her husband Conlan
A year after the transplant, Diana was allowed to reach out to her donor’s family, who are given the option to either accept or deny the request.
Diana’s letter went through her transplant center in Washington DC to a Texas organ donation center, which then contacted Daniel.
Daniel accepted the letter, and he and Diana later spoke by phone, which, Diana said, caused her to cry for two days straight, having discovered what a wonderful person Heather was.
In the years since, Diana has tried to raise awareness of Heather’s life and organ donation through her social media pages, and she and Daniel eventually met in Illinois, where Daniel lives.
There, he told Diana that it was Heather’s decision to donate, and how his daughter had passed away just a few days before she was due to marry her own fiancé, Beau.
An intestinal transplant from Heather had helped save Diana’s life, as she was previously in intestinal failure due to the progression of her Dysautonomia, also known as automatic dysfunction
Daniel revealed to Diana that it was Heather’s decision to donate, and how his daughter had passed away just a few days before she was due to marry her own fiancé, Beau
Knowing that Daniel, a single parent, had not had the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle on her big day, Diana later asked if he would do her the honor, which Daniel accepted.
On August 13, at Salvatore Hospitality in Buffalo, Daniel cried as he first saw Diana in her wedding dress, before walking her into the main room for the reception.
There, he gave Diana over to her biological father, Glen, who walked his daughter the rest of the way so that she could marry her husband, Conlan Kreher, 30.
Speaking of the moment, Diana said: ‘Before I walked down the aisle with Dan, I felt butterflies in my stomach.
Diana’s father, Glen embraces Heather’s father Daniel and thanks him as he hands over the bride to walk the last few steps up to the altar
‘When he first saw me in my wedding dress he cried.
‘Once I saw him crying, I started crying.
‘He misses Heather so much and struggles with the pain of her absence.
‘He said he was honored to walk me down the aisle and is so happy to have another daughter now.
‘I told Dan, that Heather’s spirit was there with us and she was happier than ever.
‘We hugged each other before we went out.
‘But I felt every emotion in the book: I was excited, anxious, sad about Heather, but, immensely happy that in a few moments I would marry the love of my life.
‘I hope people can realize the power of organ donation. Without Heather’s decision, I would not be here today.
‘Death is a tragedy but transplant is a light of beauty in the midst of that tragedy.
‘Transplant gave me the life that I never thought I would have.
‘These decisions are vital.
‘I ask that people think seriously about this.
‘Don’t make your family decide in the moment when they are grieving.’
Source: Read Full Article