Bride's dad gets a surprise when he asked to walk her down the aisle with adoptive dad

For adoptees with strong bonds to both their biological and adoptive parents, milestone events can pose a unique challenge: How do you honor both relationships equally? Tonya Sue, who was adopted 30 years ago but has always known her biological father, found herself grappling with this question on her wedding day. The solution came in the form of a heartfelt proposal from her adoptive dad, which she later shared in a touching TikTok video under her username @tonyasuetexasmom.

"That moment when my adoptive dad pulled my biological dad out to help walk me down the aisle," Sue wrote as she walked down the aisle with her adopted dad. The man extended her arm to pull out his daughter's biological dad from the side. "Dad (biological) had no idea that this was why he was strategically placed in a middle aisle on the edge," the bride revealed. The three of them walked hand in hand with Sue at the center. She shared that two months before her wedding, her adoptive dad had come up to her to talk to her and propose an idea.

"He came to me and said that he felt in his heart that my dad should be a part of walking me down the aisle," the bride went on. "When asked, 'Who gives this woman...' My dad (adopted) answered, 'Her mother, her father and myself,'" the video's overlay text read. She continued, "What an incredibly special moment this was." Sue remarked, "Happy Father's Day to my dads. I love you both very much." The video received more than 9.4 million views and over 528k likes. "My adoptive dad is one of the kindest, most selfless and patient people I've ever met. He gave his life to raising my siblings and me — five kids who aren't biologically his. He doesn't have any biological children of his own, but he has always been there for us, providing love and care like any father would," Sue told PEOPLE.

The video touched countless hearts, with commenters praising the emotional moment. @allthepretties wrote, "Something about biological dad's demeanor suggests he has had a tough life, and adopted dad recognizes that he needs this moment." @decembertwelve20 commented, "Much respect to your stepdad who has an understanding heart filled with kindness and love. You are very blessed to have them both." @kellymary32 remarked, "What mature and unselfish adults. This is awesome. It had to mean a lot for the daughter. I know my parents couldn't be civil, and it hurts!"

@stitches3244 shared, "The kindness in your adoptive father's face is so apparent. He glanced over to make sure he was ok. You can just tell he's a caring person by his demeanor." @kaytlynnrascon expressed, "My stepdad has been in my life since I was 2. I asked my dad if I could include him, and he said of course. We surprised him as I was walking down the aisle, and we all cried to the altar." @giving.bodi admitted, "My stepdad let me cry in his arms when I had to bury my biological father. My stepdad was always my superhero. I guess god needed them both because he passed a few years later."

You can follow Tonya Sue (@tonyasuetexasom) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.