A Day to Treasure--Tommy and LeeAnne Crawford

On January 7th, 2013, I received a inquiry about performing a wedding ceremony on September 7th. LeeAnn and I had been corresponding on a regular basis in an effort to create the perfect wording for their special day.  Then on August 4th, I received an email from LeeAnn.  I am sharing just a little of it with you.

"Dear Family & Friends, 

It is with shock and disbelief still that I write this post to you all. Tommy suffered a brain aneurysm yesterday morning. The aneurysm ruptured at home and caused him to have a seizure and pass out. Luckily, we were both at home when it happened and I was able to call 911 and they got him to the hospital right away. He underwent several labs, EKGs and a CT which found there was bleeding on his brain. He was transferred to another facility where an angiogram was done to look at the arteries in the brain to see where the rupture occurred, how large it was, and how much bleeding there was. He underwent an emergency craniotomy last night to repair the rupture so it wouldn't open up again and bleed out anymore. They placed a metal clip onto the rupture to hold it together and keep it from opening again. The surgeon said the aneurysm is very small and there was very minimal bleeding on his brain. He doesn't have any more aneurysms and they are confident this one won't rupture again. They are confident that because he is so young and healthy that he should fully recover, hopefully without any complications or permanent damage. However, the next 2 weeks are extremely critical and he will be in Neuro ICU for at least the next 12-14 days for close monitoring and further testing to ensure the aneurysm is closed and there is no more bleeding on his brain. I was able to see him after surgery in the early hours of this morning and he was doing well. He had a bad headache but that is expected they said. He was talking and coherent and even making a few jokes."

After reading the email, I believed that there would be no way a wedding could take place the way Tommy and LeeAnne had hoped.  Tommy, however, proved me wrong.  I had the honor of pronouncing them husband and wife today--just like they had planned.  They changed their venue to their backyard where nearly 60 family members and friends shared in their special moment.  Tommy walked in with some help from a cane but refused to use it during the ceremony.  He simply held hands with his beautiful bride.  I believe, however, she needed his support as much as he needed hers.

It was a beautiful wedding.  It is a wedding that will forever have a special place in my heart.  This is a couple that faced a very scary and life changing event that has made them both closer and stronger. There was so very much love shared by this special couple as well as their friends and family.