This 27-Year-Old Breast Cancer Survivor Was Gifted Her Dream Wedding
Max proposed to Jillian the day she finished chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. After all they went through, they got their dream wedding.
Your wedding day is mean to be the happiest day of your life. But sometimes life – and tragedy – gets in the way of that, and everything goes all wrong. Or it could, if people with compassion don’t take that opportunity to rise to the occasion.
For Jillian Hanson and Max Allegretti, it took a village – and their love for each other – to get them to their special day.
When I was diagnosed, I gave him an ‘out.’
"But he told me that he would never leave my side, and he never has,” said Jillian, a bride who took part in LLG Events' second annual Pro-Bono Wedding Of The Year that took place this weekend in New Jersey.
Jillian's story is full of strength, not just her own, in battling breast cancer, but also the strength that she found in her fiancé (now husband!) Max.
Max and Jillian's love story was years in the making
Max and Jillian met in college during their senior year. Jillian was trying to be more outgoing and make new friends, and while signing the whiteboard to join a dodgeball team, “this incredibly handsome guy and his roommate walked up behind me,” she said in a blog post.
The couple that met that day and exchanged numbers -- for strictly platonic and dodgeball reasons of course! -- and instantly became best friends.
After graduation, Jillian moved. She and Max lost touch for a few years, before she decided to move back to New Jersey, where they had first met.
Jillian decided give Max a call: “When I asked if we could all get together, he inquired about my relationship status. He asked me if he could take me to a movie when I was back in town and the rest is history!”
He proposed on her last day of chemotherapy
They have now been together for four years. “I knew he was
the one after a month of us dating. I never usually move that fast, but something
about him was different.”
In 2017, Jillian was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Her journey back to health took a mastectomy, 16 rounds of chemotherapy for 5 months, plastic surgery, and 25 rounds of radiation for 5 weeks. Finally, they had reached the end of treatment – with an even happier ending than Jillian could have expected.
“He proposed to me on my last day of chemotherapy in front of all my family and friends!”
Planning a wedding after chemo was simply too much
Of course, after all they had been through, wedding planning was a struggle, and the cost could easily have been prohibitive. Max and Jillian didn’t know where to start!
That’s when LLG Events, which had heard of Jillian and Max’s story through the Breasties organization (which Jillian donates her time volunteering for) told Jillian and Max that they were gifting them their dream wedding.
Upon hearing their emotional love story, LLG Events selected Jillian and Max to receive their full-service luxury wedding planning, which typically costs $30,000. They also gathered free services from other pro-bono vendors as well, with Palermo delivering the wedding cake and Kenneth Winston providing Jillian's dream wedding dress.
A celebration in every sense of the word
Every couple deserves the wedding of their dreams, but Max and Jillian's story really puts things in perspective.
They showed their true commitment to one another long before their actually wedding, with unconditional love and support through Jillian's fight against cancer. Their wedding was a celebration in every sense of the word: not just of the love they share, but of determination and will to survive, and of the incredible things we can accomplish for others when we all band together to chip in.
More inspiring love stories:
- Childhood Sweethearts Separated at Age 8 Find Love Again at Their School Reunion
- 64 Years After Their Breakup, He Drove 500 Miles to Marry His High School Sweetheart
- A Brain Injury Made Her Forget Her Husband — Then They Fell in Love Again
- 50 Years After Their Love Was Torn Apart by Racism, They’re Finally Married
Military Dad Defends His 4 Little Daughters When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Military Dad of 4 Daughters Defends His Girls When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Austin von Letkemann is the military officer strangers feel "sorry" for — and the reason is infuriating.
Whenever the devoted father leaves the house with his four children, strangers can't help but notice the officer in uniform is holding hands with 4 adorable little girls. They will tell the traditionally "masculine" and "all American" dad they feel sorry for him, because he has no sons. This dad makes one thing very clear: They are his daughters, they aren't a burden.
In a passionate video, von Letkemann took to Instagram to share with his followers that the only thing that's "difficult" about being a girl dad — is clapping back to these sexist remarks over and over again.
They Mock His Daughters To Their Face
When strangers approach Austin von Letkemann and his four daughters, they don't always realize that their comments are being overheard. They seem oblivious to the fact that his girls understand every word. Von Letkemann describes how people will approach him and, without thinking, make remarks like "I'm sorry" or even joke about his lack of sons. What they don't realize is that these comments, intended to be light-hearted or humorous, can be deeply hurtful to his daughters. These strangers are not just disrespecting von Letkemann's choices as a father; they're also sending a message to his daughters that their presence is something to be pitied. It’s a message that von Letkemann won't stand for, and he's speaking out to defend his girls from these insensitive remarksSaying "Get Your Shotgun" Isn't Funny — It's Sexist
Another common comment that Austin von Letkemann encounters is the old "better get your shotgun ready" trope, often delivered with a smirk or a wink. This line is typically intended to suggest that a father with daughters should be on high alert to protect them from potential "suitors," implying that they are objects to be guarded rather than individuals with agency.
Von Letkemann finds this line of thinking outdated and sexist. In his viral Instagram video, he points out that these jokes are not just stale — they're damaging.
By suggesting that his daughters require armed protection, the joke reinforces the idea that women are inherently vulnerable and need to be shielded from men. Von Letkemann argues that instead of promoting this narrative, society should focus on teaching respect and consent, challenging these sexist tropes at their source.
Watch Austin von Letkemann's Video:
"If I Had A Fifth Child, I'd HOPE It Was A Girl" — One Dad's Message For Other Parents
Despite the constant remarks about his lack of sons, Austin von Letkemann is clear: He wouldn't trade his daughters for anything.
In fact, he told his Instagram followers that if he were to have a fifth child, he would hope for another girl. This declaration isn't just about doubling down on his pride in his family — it's a pointed response to those who see fathering daughters as a misfortune.
Von Letkemann's stance is a powerful one, rejecting the notion that a family is incomplete without sons. He encourages others to question the assumptions behind these comments and to appreciate the joy and fulfillment that his daughters bring. By sharing his story, von Letkemann hopes to create a more inclusive perspective on fatherhood, one that values daughters just as much as sons.