The bride's father was terminally ill. So she made a dramatic change to her wedding.

Weddings are about more than just celebrating the couple—they're a time to share with loved ones, especially for daughters who dream of having their fathers by their side. When Elisabeth Linde from Long Island learned her father wouldn’t be able to attend her wedding, she made a bold move. According to the New York Post, she brought the ceremony to him at Manhattan’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, tying the knot on June 3, 2023, a day before the originally planned wedding.

Back in April, Linde took to TikTok to share an emotional video of her walking down a hospital hallway, which has since racked up over 67 million views. Her father, Stuart Linde, a 56-year-old Wall Street exec, had just been diagnosed with mesothelioma and was counting his days. “The saddest and happiest day of my life,” the bride captioned the video. With Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” playing, Linde, in her wedding dress, walked toward her father’s hospital room, flanked by hospital staff witnessing this unforgettable moment.

In a follow-up video, Linde explained why the wedding meant so much to her. As she walked into the hospital room, her groom and son stood by her father’s bed, both dressed up for the occasion. The moment was incredibly emotional as Linde kissed her father before beginning her new life. With her father’s blessing, the wedding took place right there in the hospital room, Linde holding his hand the entire time. The video captured the hearts of millions, amassing over 10.5 million views.

"It doesn’t matter where you get married. It’s the people around you that matter. Beautiful memories for you to have your dad there. You gave him his moment too," said @tamjam683. "Wow! This was so beautiful and you gave your dad the best gift ever," noted @rosa.rivera70. "How incredibly selfless of you and your husband. You’re good people," lauded @celes4217.

Linde knew having her dad by her side was more important than the wedding she had envisioned. “It was surreal,” she shared. “My dad was one of my biggest supporters. He had to be there.” Stuart and Eileen, Linde’s parents, played a crucial role in helping her and her husband Devin overcome addiction. “My dad helped us get clean and stay clean. He and my mom took us in and he motivated me to go back to nursing school and pursue my nurse practitioner certification,” she added. Her parents ensured a better life for her and her son.

"My dad has three daughters but he always wanted a son to carry on our last name. So, on June 4, we asked his permission to take the last name ‘Linde’ so that our son could be the person to do that," Linde said to the news channel. The daughter wanted to make sure her dad felt honored and cherished during his final days. "We didn’t lose anything from having it at the hospital. We just gained this great family memory," she pointed out. Two days after Linde's hospital wedding, Stuart passed away on June 5, 2023.

You can follow Elisabeth Linde (@elisabeth3744) on TikTok for more family content.

This article was originally published on August 23, 2024. It has since been updated.