Elderly dad steps in to walk son-in-law's new bride down the aisle 12 years after losing daughter to cancer

Family love never really fades. It endures through life’s toughest tunes. Amid the highs and the lows of everyday life, it is the unwavering support of loved ones that keeps our hearts in the right place. The same happened with Hannah Bender’s stepfather. Bender—who goes by @hanbndr on TikTok—shared a beautiful tale of how her granddad from her biological mom’s side walked her stepmother down the aisle to get married to her stepfather. While attending their wedding, Bender captured her granddad’s surprising entry.

The 85-year-old, with his charm still intact, escorted his son-in-law’s soon-to-be wife down the aisle, leaving guests teary-eyed. In the video, the granddad, named Hans, was seen fulfilling his family duties. It was “a full-circle moment” for the Belgian family. Bender’s stepdad, David, married his newfound love a decade after losing his first wife, Wendie, to breast cancer in 2012, according to Newsweek. The special moment brought everyone to tears during the destination wedding in Hong Kong on November 1, 2024.

With tears streaming down her face, Bender captured the heartwarming scene of her granddad walking the bride down the aisle. The 26-second video also showed Hans wittily taking a misstep, causing a wave of joyous laughter among the guests. Notably, before the ceremony, Bender was asked for her consent regarding her granddad walking the bride down the aisle, to which she happily agreed. She described the unforgettable gesture as something she “wouldn’t have wanted any other way.”

Through the caption, Bender indicated it was a new “beginning” for her family. “My family is very close, and we all hold each other very near to our hearts, hence why my grandparents and parents still get along so well and see each other at every opportunity,” she told the outlet. Bender added that her stepdad’s wedding was so emotional it symbolically brought the presence of her late mother into the occasion. “It was a very emotional ceremony. One of my mum’s friends came up to me after and said that she and everyone around her were crying and that one by one, all the men were putting on their sunglasses,” she shared. The tear-jerking moment not only moved the guests but also resonated on social media. The video garnered over 108k views and 5,316 likes.

@bromerz89 lauded, “I love the saying, 'Friends are the family you choose.' How wonderful it was of your grandpops to do that. Your mum would be so proud.” “My mother was my father's second wife, as his first tragically passed away at a young age. My sister was named in honor of his first wife,” @stegysauraus shared their anecdote. “That little stumble from grandad is your mum trying to sabotage,” @melissamay09 jokingly remarked. Others agreed with Bender about it truly being a “full circle” moment for the family. 

You can follow Hannah Bender (@hanbndr) on TikTok for more wholesome and lifestyle content.