Last month a bride was given away by the man who received her dad’s heart.
Jeni Stepien got married last monty and she says the day wouldn’t have been possible without Arthur Thomas.
Arthur, fondly known as ‘Tom,’ traveled from New Jersey to Pennsylvania to walk Jeni down the aisle at St. Anselm church in Swissvale, since her father couldn’t be there.
Jeni met Tom for the first time on the eve of her wedding, when she felt her father’s heart beat for the first time in 10 years. Michael Stepien was murdered in Swissvale back in 2006.
Tom received Michael’s heart after his death.
Thomas said, “I was on death’s door when he was murdered and I needed a heart or I was going to be dying in the next few days,”
So Jeni asked Tom if he would do the honors in a letter. She told attendees at the wedding, “I was just so thankful that my dad could be here with us today in spirit and a piece of his physical being as well. That was really special for us,”
Thomas said, “You can never imagine what that would be like unless you actually do it because so many emotions involved in what you’re doing,”
Jeni’s groom was also moved by the gesture. Paul Maenner said, I was just overtaken with emotions when I finally saw her walking down. The most beautiful woman in the world that I’ve ever seen before,”
Meanwhile Thomas added, “What a greater honor could a person have than walking the daughter of the man who’s given his heart to him. I can’t imagine a greater honor.”