The special and heartwarming moment of a dad walking his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day is something that dads and daughters everywhere cherish. Ruby Ramos (26) and her father Walter Thompson (53) are no different. The two anxiously counted down the days until the wedding, and Walter couldn’t wait to share that special moment with his soon to be married daughter.
Unfortunately for Thompson, about a month before the wedding, he and his family received some tragic news. He had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour that threatened to leave him paralysed. In fact, the tumour was so severe that doctors predicted that he had only a few months to live.
Obviously, such devastating and dour news can be nothing short of overwhelming. However, being the loving and passionate father that he is, Walter was determined to not only make it to the wedding, but to be the one to walk his daughter down the aisle on her big day.
Thompson sought out the best help he could find to ensure that he would be a part of his only daughter’s wedding. He enlisted the help of Dr. Mike Sughrue, a neurosurgeon at the Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma.
“I didn’t think I would be able to do it. This is an extremely high risk case and there is a reason no one else wants to touch it,” Dr. Sugrhue told TODAY.
Walter’s tumour was particularly tricky because it was nestled in the middle of the motor strip, the part of the brain that controls motor movements. If Sughrue were to cut too deep, Thompson would be left paralysed. Of course, there were other fatal risks involved in the operation, but Sughrue agreed to help the father in need.
Dr. Sughrue miraculously completed the surgery with no problems at all. He expected that it would take some time for Thompson to fully recover from side effects of the surgery like fatigue, and brain swelling. He also estimated months of therapy for Walter before he would be able to fully walk and move around with full mobility.
To his surprise, Thompson was lively and fully mobile. Thompson credits his quick recovery to the love he has for his daughter, and the excitement he felt for being able to make it to her wedding.
Source: ABphotography
Thompson was able to walk his daughter down the aisle with no problems. In fact, he was able to share a dance with her at the reception. A slow song and dance, albeit, but still an impressive feat for a dad who was in physical rehabilitation at the time.
“It was more of a dream come true for me because three days prior he was under the scalpel being operated on for an inoperable tumour,” Ramos told TODAY. “I couldn’t be more thankful for that day.”
Walter Thompson is a prime example of the sheer willpower that parents exude. The love and willingness to support a child can truly help a parent to conquer any adversities they are faced with.
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