Receiving this bracelet from a mysterious woman made her feel that her brother is watching over her, wherever he may be.
Some relationships are formed by choice, while others happen via unexplained connections. The same happened to Shelly Garcia–who goes by @shellzzii on TikTok. Shelby and Alex Garcia had been in a relationship for nearly six years. When they chose to marry on September 22, 2024, they didn't know that one such miraculous moment would make their wedding day more profound and magical than expected. She shared her heartwarming experience in a viral video.
She started her video by talking about how wonderful her wedding was with her husband. When the couple was taking their pictures, a middle-aged Italian woman came to her and said, "Can I talk to you?" Being a New Yorker, she became skeptical but agreed eventually. Even though there was another bride present in the area, the woman came to Shelby and said, "In Italy, it is customary or good luck to wear something light blue on your wedding day." The woman put it on her wrist. "And mind you, my nails and my shoes were blue. And I think she saw that she still gave it to me," she recalled while showing her blue fish bracelet on the camera. She added that it might not look much to others, but it meant a lot to her.
Shelby felt a connection with that woman. Both of them never met before and probably would never meet again. After talking a bit, the woman went away with her tour group. "And then after our wedding ceremony, we were walking to do family photos with our photographer. And she said, 'Do you believe in heaven?' And I hesitated because I don't know what I believe in. I think I believe in something, but I don't know," Shelby added. She then talked about her brother, Colby, who died in a car accident almost three years ago. "He was 17. He was my best friend. I basically raised him," she said. It was a difficult moment for her and she missed Colby at her wedding.
"I looked at this, and she said, 'Oh that, that lady, she was so intent on giving this to you. Even though there was another bride there too," Shelby elaborated. She remembered how that Italian woman was adamant about giving the bracelet to her only. "She didn't have another item to give to the other bride. She just walked up to me. I thought about it for a second and I looked down and in my room at my parent's house is a little blue ceramic fish that my brother made me. It's hanging on the wall," Shelby said while getting emotional.
She added, "I just feel so crazy about this and that, I didn't pick up on that right away. I was so preoccupied with making sure that everything went well in my pictures and just trying to get through my vows without crying, which was successful, honestly." Her husband cried during the ceremony, but she didn't. "But just the fact that she gave me this and my brother wasn't able to be there. She just looked me in the eyes like she knew me, but she didn't. It just felt so special that she chose me instead of the other bride." "And it just feels so special that I get to keep this now," Shelby confessed. "And I've been wearing it and looking at it, and just know that he was there on Sunday with me," she concluded her video.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Shelby said, "Colby and I were friends from the day we met … As we grew up, he was always attached to me, and I was always inviting and insisting he did things with me and my friends, I always made sure he and I had time together." While talking about the mysterious Italian woman, she added, "I've not seen her again, I don't know how we'd even find each other." Moreover, people in the comments have nothing but sweet words to share with Shelby.
@50shadesofbre22 said, "What an incredible story! It gave me chills when you said there is a blue fish that your brother made you at your parents!" @ana_kay_chimed in, "Everything about this seems like a sign, from the lady, the blue fish, to the photographer putting it in perspective. I also never knew what to believe, but the universe was at play here. Congrats!" @poppyseed1990 added, "Wow, this is beautiful! Your brother was there with you and wanted you to know he's okay. God bless that woman for being his messenger and also for your lucky something blue. Happy for you!"
@shellzzii it was just such a special moment, though so small, and im sure that lady had no idea how much it would mean to me aside from a kind gesture and me saying thank you. i dont touch people, i am not touchy, but she put this on my wrist and i grabbed and squeezed her hand and looked into her eyes and thanked her and just stood there for a moment, in the small instant in time that her and i occupied. i know colby sent her, i know this was his way of letting me know he was there on my wedding day, because he wouldve been right next to me. i was really sad about him not being there, of course ive been sad for years since it happened, it never gets lighter, but that woman choosing me instead of the other bride, being so intentional in our moment, and me realizing the connection later in the day makes this story so much more special. it wouldve been special on its own, but i wouldnt have felt the need to tell it like this. i doubt ill ever see her again, shell never know the immense kindness she showed me and the wonderful memory she allowed me to think of, but i wish i could have a coffee with her and tell her this story, and since i cant, i wanted to tell you #centralpark #elopement #marriage #justmarried #wedding #weddingtok #bluefish #grief #love #storytime ♬ original sound - shellzzii
You can follow Shelby Garcia (@shellzzii) on TikTok for more content on lifestyle.