Hospital hosts wedding so dying mom could attend
It was Lillian Sandic-Aylon’s final wish to see her eldest daughter married.
The Newmarket mother of three and Newmarket High School teacher was diagnosed with stomach cancer in June, but she was determined to survive long enough to see her daughter, Olivia, married to Matthew Barrett on Sept. 21.
Admitted as a terminal patient at Southlake Regional Cancer Centre, Sandic-Aylon realized she was not going to make it to the wedding date.
“She asked the nurses on the sixth floor if they could have her daughter’s wedding at the hospital,” her husband Joel Aylon said.
The words were barely out of her mouth before her family and the nurses sprang into action.
The nurses arranged to hold a ceremony on the sixth-floor patio.
The staff made sure Sandic-Aylon was dressed, had her makeup applied and hair done and even pooled money from their own pockets to purchase the bride a bouquet.
Olivia’s dress shop hemmed and bustled her wedding dress the day of the event to ensure she was married in her actual wedding dress.
The couple’s wedding photographer attended to document the ceremony and the officiant, who was on vacation in South Carolina, conducted the ceremony via iPad.
“They wheeled her out onto the patio in a chair to attend the ceremony,” Joel recalled.
“At the end of the ceremony, she stood from her chair, much to everyone’s amazement, had her photo taken with every person in attendance and offered words of wisdom before returning to her room.”
She returned to her room, fell asleep and never woke up.
Olivia describes her mother as selfless, adding everything she did was in the best interest of her family, friends, students and colleagues.
WEDDING continued on GT6
This was one of the few things her mother asked of the family — to celebrate together.
“I’m so happy we could give that to her in her final days,” Olivia said.
“It was a magical moment that my mm entire family will hold close to their hearts forever.”
The magic would never have happened if it weren’t for the support of the palliative nurses. “These women went above and beyond to ensure my mom was comfortable, properly cared for and that each member of my family received the support they needed,” Olivia said.
“They truly are heroes and made our dreams for our wedding day come true.”
The couple is also grateful to their family members and wedding vendors, who pulled everything tt together on such short no- tice.
“This was such a special day for our entire family. “And it was so much more than tt just about Matt and I get- ting married,” Olivia said.
While the family and community are mourning the loss of a cherished cc mother and educator, the family takes comfort in knowing kk her final day was full of joy, love and laughter.
Acelebration of life for Sandic-Aylon AA will take place at Mad- sen’s Greenhouse Banquet Hall, 160 Bayview Pkwy., Newmarket on Wednesday from 6 to 9 p. m.