“She can go to heaven knowing that everything’s taken care of,” Camie Cummings said of her mother, Donna Cummings
Credit: HCA Florida North Florida Hospital
NEED TO KNOW
- Camie Cummings fulfilled her mother Donna Cummings’ “dying wish” by marrying her partner at Donna’s bedside in a Florida hospital
- Donna, who had stage 4 liver cancer, died shortly after the nuptials
- “She can go to heaven knowing that everything’s taken care of,” Camie said
A woman fulfilled her mother’s “dying wish” by marrying at her ICU bedside — with help from caring members of the hospital’s staff.
Donna Cummings, 81, was hospitalized in the intensive care unit at HCA Florida North Florida Hospital with stage 4 liver cancer, according to a Facebook post from the hospital.
It was Donna’s “dying wish” to see her daughter, Camie Cummings, marry her partner, Sandy Adams.
“She said that Sandy was her angel,” Camie told local outlet WCJB. “She’s always wanted me to marry her. So I promised I would marry her at her bedside because I knew that she wasn’t going anywhere.”
Credit: HCA Florida North Florida Hospital
Hospital staff members sprang into action and decorated a hallway in the ICU to “transform the space into a meaningful family celebration and fulfill one of Donna’s heartfelt wishes,” per the hospital’s post. They also provided cake and sparkling lemonade for the occasion.
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Camie told WCJB she’s grateful that her mom — a former nurse, whom she described as her “best friend” — was able to give her away during the ceremony.
“She sacrificed so much for us growing up. And that’s the least I could do to make her happy in her final days,” she said of the impromptu hospital wedding.
Credit: HCA Florida North Florida Hospital
She added, “She can go to heaven knowing that everything’s taken care of.”
Camie and Sandy met in nursing school two years ago. They forged a friendship that later turned romantic.
Camie said the couple’s wedding was “incredible” and praised the hospital staff for going above and beyond so that she, her mom and Sandy could share such a special moment.
“I just owe them everything,” she told WCJB. “That was a true blessing in disguise. I mean, it was the greatest thing. I didn’t think it was going to be like that. I just figured they’d throw something up on the wall and just a few people would come in or whatever. But it was amazing.”
Credit: HCA Florida North Florida Hospital
The hospital wrote in its post, “Moments like this reflect the compassion, dignity and connection our colleagues bring to the people and families we serve.”
Donna died in the ICU shortly after her daughter’s nuptials. Camie told WCJB that she is glad her mom is no longer in pain.
She and Sandy plan to host a wedding celebration with friends in April.
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