Bride and groom shave their heads at wedding to honor a special person for a heartbreaking cause

People come up with the most innovative yet heartwarming ways to honor their loved ones and this couple did just that. Jony Lee and her husband, Alistair Lee, honored Jony's mother— who was battling ovarian cancer—at their wedding in Kumeū, New Zealand, in November 2020. Instead of a typical dance, they surprised their 120 guests by shaving their heads on the dance floor while still dressed in their wedding attire. Jony–who goes by @jonymlee on TikTok–shared a video explaining why they decided to do this in honor of her mother, Luna Macapagal. 

"We thought she was all in the clear and then it did come back," said 24-year-old Jony in her interview with TODAY. "Her first thoughts were like, 'Oh no, not this process all over again.'" Macapagal was concerned about losing her hair as she underwent further therapy. "I told her, 'Well if there's one that that I'll do with you... I will shave my hair,'" Jony remembered saying to her mom. As promised, she did it at her wedding.

She shaved her and her groom's heads and encouraged attendees to donate to a cancer charity. The touching gesture received over five million likes on TikTok. It also enabled Jony to share her mom's experience and raise awareness about ovarian cancer. "Ovarian cancer is very hard to identify until it's at its later stages. If you feel there’s something wrong with your body, you know best. Go push for the things that you need," Jony shared.

For years, Macapagal felt unwell and saw doctors to find out what was wrong. "(The doctors) were telling her it was menopause or diverticulitis or whatever. Only... two or three years after, they finally diagnosed her with stage 4 cancer and that's crazy to me," Jony said. Macapagal regularly visited doctors who dismissed her symptoms. After discovering stage 4 ovarian cancer, Macapagal went into remission following chemotherapy but faced a recurrence in 2020. Devastated by the prospect of chemotherapy and hair loss again, Jony suggested they shave their heads together to support her mom. "She's like, 'Oh, that would be lovely. I really like that,'" Jony recalled.

However, they later learned Macapagal was too weak for further treatment. Emotionally prepared to shave her head in solidarity, Jony felt unsure of what to do until her husband proposed a solution. "My husband, out of all people, said, 'Oh we should just do it at our wedding and I'll do it with you.' That's how it came about," Jony shared. The gesture moved many on social media. "This is amazing. You guys have the most beautiful hearts," commented @sethsingsss.

During the wedding, Jony spoke lovingly of her mom. Lee and her husband's emotional gesture moved everyone to tears. Later, Jony realized the profound impact on guests, acknowledging how cancer affects countless lives. Macapagal, deeply moved, chuckled and said, "'You're so crazy. But you are my daughter.'" Lee and her husband managed to raise roughly $3000 that night! The mother-daughter duo's bond grew stronger during Macapagal's illness, prompting Jony to cherish relationships consciously. Macapagal passed in January 2021. Despite the loss, Jony believes her mom would be proud of their story touching so many.

You can follow Jony Lee (@jonymlee) on TikTok for more relationship content.