Sometimes the Stars Align: Fulfilling His Mother’s Final Wish

This from Frank Somerville KTVU‘s facebook page.

This is one of the most beautiful pictures I’ve ever seen.
It’s also one of the most heartbreaking pictures I’ve ever seen, because of what happened just 72 hours later.

This is Ryan Manning dancing with his mother Mary Ann Manning at his wedding earlier this month.

He says simply:
“It was very special.”

The reason it was so special is because three years ago Mary Ann was diagnosed with breast cancer.
And in the past few months her condition got so bad that she was confined to a wheelchair.

But there was ONE thing she was determined to do.
She was determined to dance with her son at his wedding.

And this is a picture of the two of them as they slowly swayed back and forth to the song, “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”

Ryan says:
“”I think that everybody kind of realized what they were seeing.
And what they were seeing was an incredibly strong woman doing a magnificent thing.
A miracle, I think.”

Mary Ann’s daughter Karie says:
“It was incredibly emotional, especially to see her pop out of the wheelchair.
(During) the days leading up to it, we were helping her do everything, even walk, and to see her just jump up, it was amazing.”

Mary Ann literally used all her strength to live long enough to dance with her son.
It was almost as if the wedding kept her alive.
Because unfortunately just three days later she died.

Her daughter Kristie says:
“To have this moment to cherish and to relive through the video, we’re so happy.
And (we’re so) happy to share that story with other people.
For other people to know what an amazing woman she was.
We’re so, so lucky to call her our mother.”

Heather Holmes spoke with the family tonight and we aired their story on the Ten O’Clock News.
Reading about Ryan and his mom is one thing, but seeing them actually dancing together is a whole different story.
And here’s a link if you’d like to watch it: