EVANSVILLE, Ind. – It wasn’t the wedding Shelby Schweikhart-Conville planned with her husband Jared, but it was everything she could have ever wanted because her dad was with her.
Shelby and Jared got engaged last year, and they chose October 3, 2020 for their wedding date. She found the perfect dress, which would be ready in February, and she recently asked her best friends to be her bridesmaids.
Everything was going as planned.
But last month they received devastating news.
Her dad’s cancer was back, and it was back with a vengeance.
The cancer took over his lungs, and he wasn’t responding to chemo.
As they were praying over him in the ICU at St. Vincent Evansville on December 29, Shelby’s friend, Nalen Lefler, asked if they would be willing to get married at the hospital so her dad could be with them.
Without hesitation, Shelby and Jared said yes.
Her family rushed to a local bridal store and bought a dress. Then her friends quickly threw her hair up and put in her veil.
Shelby says Jared and her dad always joked about having a Colts-themed wedding because they’re all big fans, so it was only appropriate that Jared wore his Colts jersey for the ceremony.
They called their pastor, Jeff long, and he rushed to the hospital to marry them.
Shelby says it was the most beautiful, bittersweet moment of her life. “My dad got to see his baby girl get married, and it meant the world to me that he was able to see it.”
Shortly after the wedding, Shelby’s dad wanted to stop the life support. He is at home in hospice now.
Shelby wants to thank everyone for their prayers and support, and she says they are praying for a miracle.
