Gerard Champagne never thought he’d live to see his wedding day.

On Saturday, he proved himself wrong by tying the knot with his sweetheart in a hospital.

The 58-year-old is a patient at the MUHC’s Glen site, where he is waiting for a heart transplant.

It was only a few weeks ago that he underwent massive heart surgery after suffering from heart failure.

Surgeons implanted a mechanism to keep his heart beating while he waits for a new heart.

“The only thing we've changed is we've given him an artificial heart that we've taken out of the box,” said cardiac surgeon Dr. Renzo Cecere. “Now he discovers emotions and he has the willingness and courage to propose to his girlfriend.”

Cecere was also in attendance at the wedding.

As he got ready for ceremony, Champagne was indeed feeling emotional.

“I feel wonderful, I feel nervous also because I'm marrying someone I love and care for and I never thought it would happen,” he said.

Throughout his medical journey his bride, Michelle Cormier, has stayed by his side.

“I'm so grateful, I don't want to miss a moment with him,” she said. “He taught me everything and I said ‘we're going to make it’ and we are.”

The couple married in front of family and friends on Saturday afternoon, which was the first time a wedding has been held at the superhospital.

“I didn't realize how much I loved him until I thought I wasn't going to have him,” Cormier said.

The newlyweds will have to spend their honeymoon at the hospital because Champagne’s mechanical heart is only a temporary measure. He’s on the list for a heart transplant— a process that could take years.

Champagne is happy that he gets to focus on healing as a married man.

“When you find a woman like that, that supports you and is there for you, that's basically what I find love is,” he said.