Just a few months prior to her wedding, Andrea Stocking lost her father to pancreatic cancer. According to cancer.org, nearly 50,000 people are diagnosed with this horrible disease every year, and over 40,000 ultimately succumb to it. On this night, however, Andrea's brother found a very special way to celebrate the life of their late father during the traditional father-daughter dance.
Before the dance begins, her brother Nick delivers a poignant speech making note of the one important person who isn't in attendance, and telling the crowd that he has prepared something special to honor not only his sister Andrea, but their late father as well.
When Andrea's sister Kristen got married, she danced with their father to the song 'Butterfly Kisses' by Bob Carlisle. On this night, Andrea would get to dance to the same song, but she wouldn't get to dance with her father, and the song wouldn't be sung by Mr. Carlisle. Nick had secretly recorded himself singing the song as a gift to her, and one by one, every male in the family would share this special moment with her on the dance floor. Her grandfather first, then her brothers, and finally her new father-in-law.
While this was already an emotional gesture, the moment Andrea hears Nick's voice she completely breaks down in tears. It's one of the most genuinely heartwarming moments I've ever seen at a wedding, and I feel fortunate and blessed that they shared this touching occasion with us. As the song progresses and her partners take turns showing their love, there isn't a single guest with a dry eye.
You'll be happy to know that Andrea and her husband Luke Stocking now have a beautiful baby girl named Natalie. It might be years down the road, but I have a feeling Luke already has the father-daughter dance song picked out for Natalie's special night.
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