Fewer things in life can be as touching and heartwarming as witnessing your relatives smile and stand by your side as you have your first child, or say your wedding vows in front of the love of your life. No one knows this better than Alison Ferrel, a bride who decided to celebrate her wedding in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, on May 13, in the company of everyone she adored. She made sure that on her very special day, all her loved ones and friends were there to witness this important step in her life. Like any other bride, she needed to carry with her a token that represented something old, something borrowed, something new, and something blue. This time, her adorable 92-year-old uncle, Bill Lee Eblen served as her “something blue” wearing his immaculate Marine dress blues. Get ready to feel a little tingling in your heart!Alison told ABC News that she comes from a family where they were often taught to have respect for the armed services, and honor them for being the heroic forces that fought for our freedom.
So instead of donning an old piece of jewelry, blue eyeshadow, or a blue bouquet of flowers, she decided to ask her adorable Uncle Bill to be a major part in a very special way.
When speaking to ABC News, she said, “From the moment I got engaged I knew I wanted to include my uncle Bill in a special way.” Alison thought of the perfect person that embodied “something blue” and honored him in the most touching way.
“I come from a family where we were taught to have the utmost respect and admiration for the armed services and honoring him as the ‘something blue’ just seemed like the natural choice,” she added.
She went to pay him a visit and formally asked him if he’d do her the honors of being a crucial part in her wedding. Soon enough, her beloved uncle seemed to speed up his recovery just by awaiting his niece’s magical day.
The nurses were joking around, supporting him in his recovery, with Uncle Bill always keeping his eyes on the prize: to get better and be able to be by Alison’s side. He was determined, like the Marine he was, to get back in shape again, pronto! “I immediately started doing more calisthenics, walking more instead of riding my little three-wheel bike,” he said.
This tough, mean, Marine machine had it all under control and sooner than later, he managed to be present at her wedding, with a big old smile from ear to ear. Uncle Bill was pushed down the aisle and couldn’t have been happier! In his own words, he says he felt elated and honored to be a part of it.”
“A neighbor of my parent’s is a Marine. He was able to give us a loaner uniform,” she shared.
“We got him all dressed and put the medals and ribbons on him. He’s a sergeant, but the uniform was not a sergeant uniform. It didn’t have the appropriate chevrons on it.” He didn’t care at all if this new uniform matched the original one or not. He was there for a reason, and it wasn’t reminiscing about the past.
He did get a little chill from putting on a uniform that was a major part of his heroic career. “Just to putting on that uniform again brought back a lot of great old memories. It got me choked up,” he emotionally told ABC News.
She was stoically admiring of the big entrance they had planned for Uncle Bill, and she was definitely the happiest bride on planet Earth. “Looking at him in his dress blues, it gave me a lot of joy to see how happy he was that day. And obviously a lot of pride for him and his service,” she added.
Everyone was moved at the beautiful scene where Uncle Bill makes his way down the aisle, only to meet an equally emotional and proud bride. “I really wanted to highlight that day and give him some recognition because he definitely deserves it,” shared Alison. And what an amazing way to celebrate with your loved ones, indeed!
