A TikTok video capturing a bride’s emotional moment with her 95-year-old grandfather has captured the hearts of 1.3 million.
The clip shows the grandfather, affectionately known as “Nonno,” who flew all the way from Toronto to British Columbia to be at his granddaughter Mara’s wedding. The bride was left in tears as her Nonno embraced her, keeping a promise he had made to her. Mara, 30, spoke to Newsweek about the moment she saw her grandfather for her big day, and what it meant that he made the journey.
“When your 95-year-old Nonno flies across the country for your wedding because he promised you he would,” Mara’s sister, Kaela, captioned the video. “He said, ‘I promised you! And I came!’” Kaela also noted the presence of their grandmother, or “Nonna,” in spirit, writing that she “was all around us, too.”
A Promise Made, A Promise Kept
The decision to hold the wedding in British Columbia created a logistical challenge for Mara’s elderly grandparents.
“We had a hard time deciding where to have the wedding because we wanted the grandparents to be there,” Mara explained. When they told her grandparents the location, her grandmother, Nonna, was unwavering in her support. “Without skipping a beat, my Nonna said, ‘You know how we took the plane to Cuba? We’re going to do the same to go to British Columbia.’”
Sadly, however, Nonna passed away a year and a half before the wedding, making Nonno’s journey even more meaningful. While Nonna couldn’t be there physically, Mara said she believes her spirit was present and that she was “a big reason he was there.”
The bride’s close relationship with her grandparents made her grandfather’s presence invaluable. Mara shared that she and her sister call them almost every day, making sure to visit frequently—usually over a bowl of pasta or an espresso. She added that even after Nonno began losing his English as he got older, they “always communicate through hugs, smiles, laughs and Google Translate at times.”
A Day of Triumph and Joy
For Mara, the wedding was a day of profound emotion, particularly for her grandfather.
“It’s been a really hard year and a half without my Nonna,” she said. “I haven’t seen him smile that much since her passing.” His presence and happiness brought immense joy to everyone. Nonno was also deeply touched by a special tribute to his late wife. “He told my mom he was really touched by having Nonna’s picture by him during the ceremony—said it felt like she was there.”
Nonno was a star at the wedding, proving his dedication and incredible spirit throughout the day, even at his advanced age.
“He was incredible that day,” Mara said. “Borderline off-roading with his walker and navigating down rocks at the venue, sustaining all the hugs and love from my girlfriends and [he] even wore his dancing shoes to make sure he could dance at the end of the night. He was so present. It made the day feel so special.”
“Grandparents are a gift to this world,” she concluded. “I feel so rich to have known mine and be loved by them.”
The post Bride-To-Be Left in Tears As Grandad, 95, Keeps His One Promise for Wedding appeared first on Newsweek.
