Couple That Lost Twin Baby Weds at Bedside of Surviving Infant
Infant dressed in tuxedo onesie served as ring bearer.
— -- A Texas couple coping with the loss of one of their twin babies got married at the bedside of the surviving infant in an emotional hospital ceremony.
Kristi and Justin Nelson said their vows Tuesday at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth next to their 2-month old son, J.J., who was dressed in a tuxedo onesie and served as the ring bearer.
"We couldn't leave him out of our wedding," Kristi Nelson told ABC News today.
"It was a dream come true," she added. "I could not have wished for it to be any more perfect. The main thing was having our son there by our side. It meant the world to us."
She gave birth to J.J. on Sept. 2, but his twin was stillborn. J.J. survived, but was premature and only weighed 1 pound and 13 ounces at birth. J.J. has remained at the hospital's NICU since birth because his lungs are underdeveloped, but his parents hope they can take him home soon. He's already tripled in size, his mom said.
"He's definitely made some improvements and he is a fighter," she said.
The couple's family and their 8-year-old daughter joined them for the one-of-a-kind wedding, the first time anyone has married at the hospital, while the rings balanced on J.J.'s chest.
"After losing our baby Colt, J.J.'s twin, we decided that we've been putting it off for too long and with him getting stronger, we wanted to share this day and include him in it as well," Nelson said.
Her wedding dress was donated and the couple borrowed J.J.'s tuxedo onesie from a friend.
The couple says the ordeal has only made them stronger.
"We've had great times and we've definitely been through some very tragic and hard times," Nelson said. "Our love has only grown and made us stronger. We know that after all we've been through, there's no doubt that we can make it through anything."
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