Nancy De Gennaro

degennaro@dnj.com

NASHVILLE — With just weeks to live, terminally ill cancer patient Chris Ford got his dying wish: to marry the love of his life, Nicole Wismer.

The couple planned to wed in October, but doctors told the family that Ford, 26, may not make it.

"When the doctor told us, it was Nicole and I sitting in there, and Nicole just looked at Chris and said, 'You still want to marry me, don't you?' " recalled Amy Ford, Chris' mother.

"It doesn't matter how long you've been together, it doesn't matter the circumstances, it shouldn't matter. I love him too much (to walk away)," said Nicole Ford, 22, as she sat on a couch after the wedding, held Sunday at a donated venue in East Nashville.

Chris had been struggling with cancer for about a year. Not long after Nicole gave birth to Chris' son, Tristan, he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth and throat. At the time, he was given an 80 percent chance of survival, Amy Ford said.

The Philadelphia native decided to move his family to La Vergne to live with his mother while he underwent treatment at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

"During the course of his treatment, his tumors continued to grow and grow. They also grew into his lungs and some of his other organs. About a month ago, he was diagnosed as terminal," said Amy Ford, tears rolling down her eyes.

Nicole told her fiance it was "now or never" to get married.

But mounting medical bills and the cost of care left the couple with little money for a wedding. Undeterred by the time frame, an army of volunteers from the nonprofit Nashville Chive jumped into action.

Amy and Nicole juggled wedding plans with hospice visits and doctor appointments with Chris.

"It's been a fast thing. We had to make it happen. That's what she wanted, that's what he wanted," Amy Ford said.

Everything seemed to fall into place quickly.

"People we never even knew contacted us," said Amy Ford, wiping away tears. "We had DJs ... photographers, videographers, people offering to cook, florists, our cakes ... the guy who owns City Liquors in La Vergne called and said, 'What do you need?' "

A whole host of family members came down from Philadelphia for the wedding. The wedding officiant, a member of the Atlanta Chive group, drove up to perform the ceremony.

The wedding was like many others — there was a catered meal, bouquets of flowers everywhere, custom cakes — but those items were donated to the family.

The bridesmaids wore coral-colored linen sundresses, the groom and his groomsmen wore gray vests with aqua ties, and the bride wore a strapless white gown embellished with sequins.

Although Chris has to wear oxygen constantly, he sat patiently waiting for his bride, unable to stand for long periods. A pain patch was barely visible behind his ear.

"His spirits are very good because he's got a lot of support. His heart is like a rock. I've never seen anybody as strong as he's been, and his will to live. He's been fighting to live for his family," said Chris Ford's father, Bob Ford. "He's been through a lot with the cancer."

Barely able to walk, Chris was escorted down the aisle by his father, who kept his son stable and standing during the short ceremony.

When Francine and Richard Wismer escorted their daughter to the altar, Chris finally broke into a giant smile.

Because Chris' cancer is so advanced, he can't talk. So Bob Ford also stood in to speak for his son as the couple exchanged wedding vows.

Even through his weakness, he managed to dance back down the aisle with his bride.

"She's his heart," said Kevin Hicks, who interpreted Chris' sign language as the couple sat on the couch after the ceremony. "Their love is pure and true and perfect."

Reach Nancy De Gennaro at 615-278-5148 and on Twitter @DNJMama and Instagram @LoisLane71.

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