Image capture of video by ABC News via Youtube channel - Jeni Stepien was given away on her wedding day by a man she just a day before
- The man is Arthur Thomas, who received her father’s heart
- She got emotional as she heard her father’s heart for the first time in ten years
It is every woman’s dream to be given away by her father on her wedding day.
This dream became almost impossible for Jeni Stepien after her father died ten years ago. On her wedding day, however, a portion of this dream came true for Jeni.
According to an article published by Telegraph, when Jeni’s father, Michael Stepien, was murdered by the man who robbed him in 2006, his heart was donated to the Center for Organ Recovery and Education, which is a group that allows the families of the donors and the recipients to keep in touch.
Michael Stepien’s heart was transplanted to Arthur Thomas, who was close to dying if he didn’t receive a heart transplant.
Through the years, Jeni’s mother, Bernice, kept in touch with Arthur Thomas, but the thought of meeting the man who received the heart of their dearly loved husband and father didn’t cross their minds until Jeni got engaged.
Jeni disclosed that it was her fiance, Paul Maenner, who suggested that she should write and ask Thomas if he can walk her down the aisle after she mentioned that she’s wondering who will give her away.
“I was thinking, ‘Oh, my gosh, it would be so incredible to have a physical piece of my father there’,” she said.
Fortunately, Thomas agreed to her request.
Thomas traveled from Lawrenceville, New Jersey to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and met Jeni a day before her wedding.
He suggested she grip his wrist because that’s where his pulse is strongest and Jeni couldn’t help herself from becoming emotional as she heard her father’s heart for the first time in ten years.
Thomas said: “I felt wonderful about bringing her dad’s heart to Pittsburgh. If I had to, I would’ve walked.”
According to an article published by Toronto Sun, Thomas had always felt grateful to the Stepiens, especially to Michael.
“I had a life to live because of him, and his family did not,” he said.
It was an emotional day for everyone at the wedding as they watched Thomas give away Jeni and danced with her at the reception, but if there’s someone who was happiest that day, that would be the bride — because she had somehow managed to have a piece of her father on her wedding day,
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