Teen with cancer walks mom down aisle in hospital wedding

By Brelaun Douglas via SWNS

A California teen battling cancer in hospital was able to walk his mom down the aisle, thanks to kindly nurses who staged a makeshift wedding ceremony on his ward.

Anita Sanchez, 48, decided to have her sons Sergio, 17, and Manny, 30, walk her down the aisle after her father passed away last year.

Unfortunately, Sergio, who has been battling Leukemia since he was six, was unable to be discharged from Children's Hospital Los Angeles in time for the ceremony.

Sergio had received a bone marrow transplant from his brother Manny.

“I thought it would be an amazing idea that both my sons walk me down the aisle, especially knowing that one is a donor, and one is a recipient,” said Anita, a nurse.

“Our goal was to be out of the hospital by the time I got married, but unfortunately with the complications, Sergio wasn't allowed to get discharged, which bummed him out.

“The nurses were like, ‘you know what, we'll do something here for you guys, we'll do a little ceremony.’”

They created decorations out of paper, strung up lights, made Anita a bouquet and one of the nurses served as her maid of honor.

Sergio, Anita and her husband Peter all wore cowboy attire to celebrate the occasion.

Sergio walked Anita to the room where Peter waited and gave a speech.

“I'm thankful that God allowed him to walk me down the aisle and also gave him the strength to give me a speech,” Anita said.

“It was very emotional.”

At her official wedding ceremony three days later, a clip of Sergio walking Anita down the aisle in the hospital played on the screen right before Manny walked her down, so she could still have both of her sons walk her.

"I'm thankful that God has allowed him to be here with me on my special day and gave him the strength to get up and be able to walk me down, because he was really sick about a week before that,” Anita said.

“I hope it shows other parents our kids can fight and accomplish anything and they’re our little warriors.”

Sergio also graduated from high school during his hospital stay and the staff made sure to help him celebrate that as well.

“The nurses made a banner for him and they allowed him to have a root beer,” Anita said.

“He wasn’t able to eat or drink anything for almost two months and he just wanted a root beer, so they got him a root beer.”

Anita is very grateful to the staff for putting together the immensely meaningful ceremony.

“They knew how much it meant to Sergio to be a part of my wedding, and Children's Hospital made it happen,” she said.

“They went out of their way to fulfill the moment and make Sergio stronger and wanting to fight.”