Being diagnosed with cancer can be a terrible thing to face. When a person is a parent and has to deal with the fact that they will die and leave their children behind, they often struggle with how to go on. A man named Ryan Manning was getting married in Dublin in September. His mother, who is named Mary Ann had fought breast cancer for over three years but sadly had a terminal diagnosis. She wanted more than anything to attend his wedding and dance with him.
She got her wish and was able to travel to Dublin. She had endured many chemotherapy treatments but she still was able to summon the will to get out of her wheel chair and dance with him.
The song of choice was “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. Mary Ann’s dance with her son was caught on tape to preserve this final memory that she treasured so much. Unfortunately, three days later, Mary lost her life to breast cancer. However, her heroic gesture to her son on the day of her wedding shows just how strong a mother’s love is for her son.
Mary Ann died knowing that she was able to see her son get married. She may not be there to see him continue on his new journey with his wife, but she was able to give him a gift that he will carry with him for the rest of his life. Her act should serve as an inspiration to others that have family members with cancer.