Jennifer Urs-Sullivan's walk down the aisle would have been a painful reminder of what she had lost. Instead, she chose to make it a funny tribute to the man who loved her first: her dad.
Her father Walter passed away two years ago from a heart attack and she writes on Facebook that "I dreaded walking down the aisle without him and wasn't sure how I'd make it through the moment. And yet it ended up being one of the most amazing/memorable moments of the day."
The diehard Miami Hurricanes fan settled for the next best thing — being escorted by the University of Miami's mascot, Sebastian the Ibis. What better way to honor her late father's football obsession? Harry Rothwell of allCanes.com even customized the mascot's jersey to include her dad's nickname on the back ("Big Walt").
Photo Credits: Munoz Photography
Watch the crowd go wild in this video clip!
The bride-to-be originally thought about having her father-in-law, mom, or even a friend stand in. "But all of those sort of felt like replacements for my dad, and I didn't want to replace my dad. I wanted it to be more of a personification of who he was," she explains to FOX 13.
Husband Patrick Sullivan was supportive of her non-traditional idea: "Seeing her walk down and then having Sebastian come out, run out, and grab her – with everyone applauding – it just put a smile on everybody's face," he said. "It really took away some of the sadness that would have been there and turned it into a celebration."
The wedding took place back on March 15 at the Westin Colonnade in Coral Gables, Florida, but the mascot video didn't go viral until this week, when the University Athletics Department posted it on their Facebook page. As of press time, the post had over 6,000 "shares."
The couple has more happy news to celebrate: they're awaiting the birth of their first child in August!
Plus, check out 10 Powerful Ways to Honor Lost Loved Ones.
— Stefania Sainato
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