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This loving dad and adoring daughter shared a heart-warming duet on her wedding day unaware that weeks later he’d receive a diagnosis that would change his life.
On her big day Amber Cornelius, from Ohio in the US, wanted to mark the special occasion with a moment she’d never forget. Instead of doing the traditional father-daughter dance the newlywed opted for something closer to her heart.
After sweet-talking her dad, Dave Milhoan, the 27-year-old proudly performed an amazing rendition of Dan Fogelberg’s Leader of the Band with her father, with the blushing bride taking lead vocals and her dad accompanying her on a guitar.
“Since we both have such a passion for music, I thought, ‘Why not perform together rather than dance?’ ” says Amber, who thought that it a rather fitting way to celebrate her special bond with her dad as theirs had always been a musical household.
But the memory of this performance is likely to be even more special for Amber as less than a month later her dad was diagnosed with an incredibly aggressive form of cancer.
Fewer than four weeks after his daughter’s fairytale wedding, Dave began experiencing a series of severe headaches. After a consultation, doctors discovered the 55-year-old had several cancerous tumours growing on his brain, lungs and liver.
Soon after, he was diagnosed with Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) – a rare complication of cancer in which the disease spreads to the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, according to Medscape.
“I can’t even begin to explain how it feels to hear a doctor deliver this kind of news,” says Amber.
His diagnosis has seen Dave lose the ability to walk, but Amber proudly notes that her father hasn’t lost his precious smile. Dave has undergone extensive brain surgery and radiation therapy but continues to stay resilient.
“He’s completely lost control of his legs and hips, meaning everything he does now requires assistance.
“Yet he still manages to keep a smile on his face, day in and day out,” she says.
Dave’s family plan to host a rock ’n roll event to raise money for handicap renovations at his home.
“We aren’t sure what the future holds, but as a family we won’t discuss statistics or prognosis.
“He has such an inspiring willingness to live despite all obstacles,” says Amber.
Source: Magazine Features
