Close Ad

Daughter Stages a Fake Wedding So Her Dying Dad Can Have The "First Dance"
daughter-dather-wedding-dance-before-death
Love Stories

Daughter Stages a Fake Wedding So Her Dying Dad Can Have The "First Dance"

Rachel Wolf made sure her late father James could be with her in spirit and on video on her wedding day.

You have to make do with the best you have. Even when it's terminal.

In the summer of 2013, Dr. James Wolf of Auburn California had but a few months to live. He was dying of pancreatic cancer and decided to cease chemotherapy and other treatments to focus on palliative care.


Dr. Wolf described himself as unafraid of dying and confident he would always be there in spirit with his beloved family members, including his daughter Rachel, who was 25 years old at the time.

RELATED: Bride Knows Her Twin Sister Will Never Get Married – So the Groom Carries Her Down the Aisle in a Wedding Dress

But for Rachel, the prospect of losing her dad was almost more than she could bear. She thought of all the things she would miss sharing with her father — but then she realized the dad and daughter didn’t have to miss out on one of them.

A Plan Hatched and a Community’s Support

Rachel Wolf had always looked forward to the moment she and her dad James would share a first dance at Rachel’s wedding. During that summer, Rachel was not engaged and there were no wedding plans in the near future so, with her dad’s time growing short, Rachel decided to stage a fake wedding and dance with her father anyway.

Word got out about the charmingly heartbreaking plan and soon an outpouring of help and support began across the community.

Nearly a dozen local businesses got on board, donating everything from a wedding dress and a rental tuxedo to a DJ, a limo ride, flowers, makeup, and even a lovely gazebo where the dance could take place.

And when it did, a crowd of more than 60 people had assembled to watch and celebrate the father and daughter having their first dance.

A Beautiful Yet Tearful Moment

The moment Rachel got out of her limousine, James — overwhelmed with emotion — rushed to her and embraced his daughter, while weeping openly. Radiant in a shimmering gown, Rachel too wept, but there were plenty of smiles as well.

The father and daughter danced to the song “Cinderella” by Steven Curtis Chapman.

Looking at just a few of the lyrics of that song, it’s little wonder why Rachel chose it — consider this part of a verse and part of the chorus:

“It's been a long day and there's still work to do | She's pulling at me saying, ‘Dad, I need you | There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited | And I need to practice my dancin' | Oh, please, daddy, please’ | So I will dance with Cinderella | While she is here in my arms.”

The dance was captured on video in order to be played whenever Rachel did get married in the future so that her dad could be part of his little girl’s special day.

The Wedding Day James Watched Over

Dr. James Wolf passed away in 2013, but he was still indeed a part of his daughter’s big day. That day came three years later when Rachel got married to a man named Randy Todd.

She had vowed never to watch the video until it played during her wedding reception, so when the moment came to share the dance with those assembled, Rachel saw the dance with her beloved late father for the very first time.

And just as James had intended, he was there in spirit with his little girl on her big day.

Hot Stories

Why Jennifer Hudson Forgave Her Mother's Killer -- Life Stories By Goalcast

At the peak of her career, Jennifer Hudson faced a horrific family tragedy. Hudson's mother and brother were brutally attacked in their family home, and her seven-year-old nephew was kidnapped. What followed was a heart-wrenching manhunt to rescue her nephew and seek justice against the man who took her family. Hudson speaks from the heart in this video on what happened to her family and how she was able to move forward.

Celebrities
ideas and thinking

bright ideas

The 21st century has brought great new opportunities for entrepreneurs. The digital revolution has completely changed the way we live -- and the landscape for aspiring CEOs and innovators.

powerful-business-woman

Keep ReadingShow less
Entrepreneurs
Sad woman arms on face
woman crying on a beach

While life is beautiful in so many ways, it is also filled with struggles and obstacles. We can’t truly appreciate happiness without experiencing some sort of pain.

Pain is inevitable. No matter how much we try to prevent bad things from happening, life will strike. Maybe you will have to face grief, betrayal or a broken heart. These experiences can tear you down in unspeakable ways. Some of them will cause so much pain that you’ll do anything that comes to mind to avoid it or feel a bit of joy, even if just for a few seconds.

Keep ReadingShow less
Authors