Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
I WOULDN’T MISS IT FOR THE WARD...
Hospital helps groom Scott pull out all the stops to ensure grandad is part of his big day
Hospitalised just days before his grandson’s wedding after suffering a heart attack, William Reid was given the devastating news that he would have to miss the big day.
But , thanks to the kindness and quick thinking of caring nurses, Kirkshaws man William was able to watch grandson Scott Ventisei and his beautiful bride Lisa exchange vows.
The University Hospital Monklands staff set up a FaceTime chat that allowed William, 77, to see the full wedding — and even helped him get dressed into his kilt to look smart for the memorable occasion.
Coatbridge newlywed Scott ,34, told the Advertiser : “Grandad suffered a heart attack six days before the wedding and was taken into hospital.
“Right away, he was telling the hospital staff that he needed to be out in time for the wedding.
“We even took his kilt to his hospital room just in case he got the allclear on the day itself, but unfortunately the doctors told him he couldn’t leave as he still had a blood clot.”
Scott continued: “He was pretty devastated to miss the wedding, but the nurses in ward 18 went the extra mile to make sure grandad was part of the day.
“They sacrificed their own lunch breaks to film the ceremony and the speeches and also got him dressed in his kilt.
“I’d like to give a special mention to Lana Morrow, who organised everything, Angela Ai rd, Karen Gillespie, Steph McGroartie and Mhairi Sinclair for going above and beyond to make my grandad so happy.
“Thanks also go to Lisa’s brother’s girlfriend, Megan McGlynn, for filming the FaceTime chat at the wedding. Megan is a trainee nurse herself.”
But the surprises didn’t end there for William, as Scott and Lisa turned up at the hospital the day after their nuptials — dressed in their wedding outfits.
Scott explained: “We decided to go and visit grandad the next day and asked the nurses if they could get him dressed in his kilt again under the pretence that we were going to FaceTime him once more.
“When we showed up in person wearing our wedding clothes, he was was really surprised and absolutely delighted.
“We got some official photographs done with him, which our photographer kindly didn’t charge extra for. Our visit lifted the spirits of everyone in the ward.
“The nurses were ecstatic too and I treated them all to bottles of wine and chocolates as a huge thank you for everything they did.
“Grandad is back home now and is doing OK. He is waiting on word for possible heart bypass surgery.”
Scott and Lisa, 36, who have been together four- and- a- half years, got married at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow.
It marked the end of an incredible journey that saw the loved- up couple live yards away from each other for more than a decade — without realising it.
Scott explained: “Our parents have lived across the road from each other for 16 years, but we only met four-and-a-half years ago.
“One day I saw Lisa driving into her driveway and I said to my mum; ‘Who is that? She’s really pretty’.
“From there, we just clicked and we had such a fantastic wedding day. Everything went brilliantly.
“I am half-Italian and we both have really big families, who all turned out to help us celebrate.
“My five- year- old son Alessio was my best boy, instead of best man, and it was a day we’ll never forget.”
Scott added: “Married life is wonderful. We were a bit shattered after all the planning that went into the wedding, but we’ve been busy since and are still on a bit of a high.
“We are going to Rome for a couple of days for a wee honeymoon and are taking Alessio to Tenerife later in the summer.”