It’s the bridal waltz, the first dance at this young couple’s wedding. But the bride lovingly defers to her disabled mother-in-law. She’s a wheelchair-bound, frail woman in a brown, sequined gown. The handsome groom drops to his knees at his mother’s side. Mariah Carey begins singing “Hero.” The first dance unfolds.
“There’s a hero
If you look inside your heart.
You don’t have to be afraid
Of what you are.
There’s an answer
If you reach into your soul,
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away.”
Slowly and gently, the groom wheels his mother around the center of the dance floor. Overcome with emotion, rivers of tears stream from her eyes. Her son speaks softly into her ear and kisses her cheek. He does a couple of gradual wheelchair spins, and now she’s laughing. The son takes a tissue and tenderly dries his mother’s tear-stained face.
The son remains on his knees throughout the entire dance. All the guests are weeping openly. There isn’t a dry eye in the hall. The bride smiles through tears from the sidelines. She’s never loved her man more than in this moment.
“And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on,
And you cast your fears aside,
And you know you can survive.
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong,
And you’ll finally see the truth,
That a hero lies in you.”
The son enfolds his mother in a warm embrace. “A hero lies in you,” he sings to her. He concludes the dance with a heartfelt kiss to her hand.
“I love you, Mom. I love you.”