The bride looked beautiful in her wedding dress, soft music welled in the background, and her father stood ready by her side. But instead of walking down the aisle, Janneth walked down a hospital corridor and into the groom’s room in the Intensive Care Unit at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica.
Jorge, her beloved, lay in his bed, weak but happy. The hastily-found justice of the peace was ready for the ceremony, friends and family gathered around his bed, Janneth held his hand, and they were married amidst the soft sounds of his respirator.
ICU nurses also participated in the solemn occasion by setting up a small reception, complete with a three-tiered wedding cake, decorations and non-alcoholic champagne. A UCLA photographer was present to memorialize the day, capturing images for a wedding album so the bride would have fond memories of Jorge’s last days.
The beautiful but bittersweet wedding was funded by UCLA Health’s 3 Wishes Project, a program that honors dying patients and provides cherished memories for loved ones. More than 300 patients have had their wishes granted since 2017, giving lasting comfort to families enduring an extremely difficult time.
To make a donation to UCLA’s 3 Wishes Project, go to https://spark.ucla.edu/project/16831