A powerful video is depicting an emotional moment that saw a man help his mother with ALS out of her wheelchair so they could share a dance at his wedding.
As scary as it is to think about, there are many ways in life that we can find ourselves paralyzed. But whether that paralysis comes from an accident or a rare disease, we can find numerous examples of those who live with these conditions refusing to let it get in the way of their rich, full lives.
RELATED STORIES
Sometimes, we can even find that some who were told they’d never walk again will find the opportunity to do so just in time for some of the most important moments of their lives. But of course, even the hardest perseverance and the most cutting-edge technology won’t always make that possible for some people.
For them, the support of their family can make all the difference when it comes to making those moments as special and fulfilling as they’d ever hoped they’d be.
And that’s exactly what one mother received in a truly heartwarming video.
Back in 2018, Kathy Poirier first noticed something alarming about her body when her legs felt heavier than usual and she had a difficult time getting up stairs.
As she told Good Morning America , “I went to tell my husband to bring me three items and I couldn’t hold up three fingers. That’s when I knew something was wrong.”
After several neurologist visits, she learned that she had Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal and incurable disease affecting the nervous system that causes patients to lose control of their muscles.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s common for the disease to claim a patient’s life within three to five years of the onset of symptoms.
Naturally, this came as devastating news to Poirier, but it didn’t make her son Zak any less determined.
According to Newsweek, her diagnosis came just before he graduated from law school. But by the time he was ready to get married, he pledged to do whatever it took to ensure they would still get to have their mother-son dance at his wedding.
In Poirier’s words, “I was worried about being stared at. I’ve changed so much in two-and-a-half-years, so I’m not the person I once was.”
But these worries were not shared by Zak, who said that everything felt normal once he was able to share that special moment with her.
After Poirer’s three sons escorted her to the venue’s dance floor, Zak’s two brothers helped him lift her up out of her wheelchair.
They then held her steady as Zak gently swayed with his arms around her waist and tears forming in his eyes.
In Poirier’s words, “It was just a moment I have dreamed about for a long time.”
And as we can see in the powerful video, Zak then helped her back in her chair and kissed her on the forehead before his brothers led her back towards the applauding and weeping crowd.
In his own Instagram post about this moment, Zak credited his mother for staying defiant in the face of her diagnosis and the grim odds that come with ALS.
As he said, “She inspires me everyday to be humble, kind and selfless. Love you Mom.”
h/t: Good Morning America
