Terminally ill Zephyrhills man fulfills dying wish to marry the love of his life
ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. - When 28-year-old Chris Lynch entered hospice care with AccentCare he had one dying wish - to marry his girlfriend of five years and the mother of his son.
"He expressed he wanted to marry his now wife Valerie, right from the get-go, extremely clear," explained Sabrina Curtis, community outreach manager for AccentCare.
With that in mind, Curtis and hospice team members got to work. Some of the members helped get the marriage license, a photographer donated their time and talents, balloons and cake were bought as well.
A photographer donated their time for the wedding. Courtesy: Grace & Rose Photography
"It was a full team effort to bring it together and to not only get them married but to make it feel like a wedding which can be difficult to do when someone is at the end of their life," stated Curtis.
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The family also wanted to create a legacy project, something for them to remember their loved one.
The couple has been together for five years. Courtesy: Grace & Rose Photography
"They expressed they wanted to do something with fingerprints with everyone who attended the ceremony and the team," shared Curtis.
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Curtis found a fingerprint tree, with everyone doing their fingerprint in green and Lynch and his wife, Valerie’s, in red. Their fingerprints crossed to form a heart.
The couple's fingerprints were in red and in the shape of a heart. A photographer donated their time for the wedding. Courtesy: Grace & Rose Photography
Lynch had been bedridden before the ceremony but was able to tolerate being moved, so he could be next to his bride.
"lt was a very sweet ceremony, and it was wonderful to see him be able to sit next to her and be able to look at her and hold her hand while they said their vows, it was very touching," exclaimed Curtis.
The Lynchs have been together for 5 years and have a 3-year-old son.