"My grandma couldn't be at our wedding day so we surprised her in hospital after the ceremony"
- 7 months ago
A woman whose grandma couldn't be there to watch her walk down the aisle stopped to visit her in the hospital on her wedding day.
Jessica Colalillo, 24, tied the knot to her long-time partner, Adam, 31, a real estate agent, on August 26, 2023.
But her 88-year-old grandma, Gemma Russo, was unable to attend after she had a fall resulting in a long hospital stay.
On the day of her wedding, desperate to make her grandma a part of her special day, Jessica visited her in Juravinski Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, after their vows on the way to get their wedding photographs.
Hospital staff were in on the surprise and wheeled Gemma outside to be greeted by Jessica and Adam.
Jessica said her grandma - who she refers to as her 'nonna' - was "hysterical" and commented on how beautiful she looked.
Jessica, an operation co-ordinator, from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, said: "My nonna was at my bridal shower and was so excited to watch me walk down the aisle.
"Three weeks before my wedding she had a fall and had to go to hospital.
"This resulted in her suffering severe mobility issues and becoming bedbound.
"The day before the wedding, we told the hospital how we were planning on going to visit her.
"She was hysterical, she was so happy.
"I am sure she was upset she couldn't come but nonetheless she was happy to see me in the dress."
Jessica and Adam got engaged in September 2021, in Positano, Italy.
They tied the knot at Liuna Station, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, surrounded by 370 of their closest family and friends.
Jessica said: "The day went really well.
"We had a beautiful ceremony at church and on the way to get our pictures we stopped to see my nonna.
"Leading up to the wedding, we were hopeful she would come but for two weeks straight she was bedbound.
"That's when we made the decision that she wasn't able to come but that we would go and see her."
Three weeks before the wedding, grandmother-of-six Gemma had a fall while getting ready for bed at home and was rushed to hospital.
The fall resulted in Gemma becoming bedbound and unable to move independently.
After the wedding ceremony, Jessica wanted to go visit her grandma and make sure she was a part of the day.
Jessica said: "It was an upsetting three weeks.
"I am an only child, and my parents worked a lot, so I have been with my grandma my whole life.
"She has waited for this day, to see me get married.
"When we stepped out of the car, she was speaking Italian, she was so happy and proud.
"She was so excited to see me and my husband together.
"Nonna is out of hospital now and in a rehab centre. I saw her last week and she is able to sit up and feed herself.
"She is improving little by little which is really good."
Jessica Colalillo, 24, tied the knot to her long-time partner, Adam, 31, a real estate agent, on August 26, 2023.
But her 88-year-old grandma, Gemma Russo, was unable to attend after she had a fall resulting in a long hospital stay.
On the day of her wedding, desperate to make her grandma a part of her special day, Jessica visited her in Juravinski Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, after their vows on the way to get their wedding photographs.
Hospital staff were in on the surprise and wheeled Gemma outside to be greeted by Jessica and Adam.
Jessica said her grandma - who she refers to as her 'nonna' - was "hysterical" and commented on how beautiful she looked.
Jessica, an operation co-ordinator, from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, said: "My nonna was at my bridal shower and was so excited to watch me walk down the aisle.
"Three weeks before my wedding she had a fall and had to go to hospital.
"This resulted in her suffering severe mobility issues and becoming bedbound.
"The day before the wedding, we told the hospital how we were planning on going to visit her.
"She was hysterical, she was so happy.
"I am sure she was upset she couldn't come but nonetheless she was happy to see me in the dress."
Jessica and Adam got engaged in September 2021, in Positano, Italy.
They tied the knot at Liuna Station, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, surrounded by 370 of their closest family and friends.
Jessica said: "The day went really well.
"We had a beautiful ceremony at church and on the way to get our pictures we stopped to see my nonna.
"Leading up to the wedding, we were hopeful she would come but for two weeks straight she was bedbound.
"That's when we made the decision that she wasn't able to come but that we would go and see her."
Three weeks before the wedding, grandmother-of-six Gemma had a fall while getting ready for bed at home and was rushed to hospital.
The fall resulted in Gemma becoming bedbound and unable to move independently.
After the wedding ceremony, Jessica wanted to go visit her grandma and make sure she was a part of the day.
Jessica said: "It was an upsetting three weeks.
"I am an only child, and my parents worked a lot, so I have been with my grandma my whole life.
"She has waited for this day, to see me get married.
"When we stepped out of the car, she was speaking Italian, she was so happy and proud.
"She was so excited to see me and my husband together.
"Nonna is out of hospital now and in a rehab centre. I saw her last week and she is able to sit up and feed herself.
"She is improving little by little which is really good."