Couple marry in hospital so terminally ill relative could partake

oke efagene

March 5, 2015 12:51 PM

The wedding which was previously scheduled to take place in 2016, held at Toronto's Princess Magaret Hospital, in a palliative care room with only the couple's immediate family in attendance.

Eden and Chris Kotsiopoulous tied the in January 2015, to fulfil the a relative's dying wish.

The wedding which was previously scheduled to take place in 2016, held at Toronto's Princess Magaret Hospital, in a palliative care room with only the couple's immediate family in attendance.

The ceremony was moved up for the sake of the groom's brother, John, who died of cancer barely three days after the wedding at age 41.

"Part of me thinks he was waiting to see his baby brother married before he passed away," said Eden.

Unlike the big wedding the couple had planned before, what they settled for instead was a quiet affair.

It was a completely different wedding than the bride had dreamed of as a little girl. However, Eden said despite the sad circumstances, the moment was still filled with joy.

"I couldn't help my husband, and I couldn't cure my (brother-in-law), and I couldn't cure his cancer, but I could sacrifice the holy grail of weddings," she said.

The couple originally planned a fall 2016 wedding. But John's diagnosis with cancer in late 2014 changed everything, and they moved their wedding to February 14, 2015.

Unfortunately, the Valentine's Day nuptials were not to be as John's health rapidly declined and the couple had to move the date forward.

The bride, who affectionately refers to John as her brother, said getting married at the hospital provided a final happy moment for the family.

"I saw it as giving my beautiful brother his last wish and my wonderful husband a last way to see his brother before he passed away."

Eden had bonded with John recently, driving him to his many medical appointments. As they became close, John revealed his wish to see Eden and Chris marry.

She said the wedding was made possible on short notice thanks in large part to officiant Rick Tamas, who works through Islington United Church in Toronto.

He dropped everything and came to the hospital to perform the ceremony, within just 24 hours notice.

John had been head of security at a popular downtown Toronto music venue and restaurant, Sneaky Dee's.

Before he passed away, his employer hosted a benefit for him. The purpose was for the proceeds to help him pay his bills, but instead the funds went to John's funeral costs.

Eden is planning another final gift to John as well.

"John will definitely be the middle name of my first son," she said.

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