77-year-old woman marries herself in a dream wedding ceremony: 'So happy'

This woman from Ohio has found the love of her life and married her: herself. Dorothy "Dottie" Fideli, 77, celebrated her love for herself with a unique wedding ceremony at her retirement community, O'Bannon Terrace in Goshen, on May 13, reported TODAY. “I said, you know what, I’ve done everything else. Why not? I’m going to marry myself,” Fideli told TODAY. She requested Rob Geiger, the property manager of her retirement home, to perform her ceremony. “I came in here and I told Rob, I said, ‘Rob, you’re going to marry me,’” Fideli recalled. “He said, ‘You’re what?’”

Geiger needed some explanation. After realizing the scenario, he was happy to help his friend, who brought joy to everyone's life. “She is a very incredible woman and she is full of life,” he told TODAY. "She has always thought of others.” "This is something new for me," Fideli told NBC affiliate KCEN. "It's emotional for me because this is something I've always wanted."

Fideli was married once in a courthouse ceremony in 1965 but was divorced nine years later. "I wore a black dress, so I was doomed before I got started," she told TODAY. "I have been with myself for 40 years," she said, as reported by KCEN. While at church one day, she decided to "do something special" for herself. The mom of three got the idea to marry herself from her neighbors, who saw a woman marry herself on a TV show. "Now, I have a second chance in doing something that'll make me happy."

As for her daughter, she found a dress for her mother, cooked food, and even decorated her mother's retirement home. "I told my daughter, I said, 'This is the best thing that I've ever had, outside of having you kids,'" Fideli told TODAY. "This is what I've always wanted and I'm so happy that you (gave) it to me."

Fideli has come a long way in her life. She has even taught herself to read. “For 75 years, she could not read,” Geiger said. “People made fun of her because of that and put her down.” She taught herself to read without telling anyone. Even her friend Geiger was surprised. “I said, ‘Dottie, you’re reading these forms!’” Geiger said, adding that he is “very proud” of what Fideli has been able to achieve. “I read more now than I ever did, and it takes me a while to read just one page, but I keep reading until I think I got every word,” Fideli said. “I’ve learned the Bible through singing songs,” she said. “Now, I’m understanding it as a story.”

After devoting her life to others, Fideli is now focusing on herself. “I’m at the point in my life where it’s about me now,” she said. “My kids are all good, and my grandkids, one of them’s going to have a baby … and I have a set of triplets that’s all graduated from college. So, it’s my turn to do what I want to do.” Fideli's story is truly inspiring as it teaches us to take charge of our lives and celebrate ourselves!