Being a step-parent can be hard. Both step mums and dads often have to help their step-kids deal with resentment and complex emotional issues as they come to terms with their parents’ separation and having a new parent in their lives.
As well as this, step-parents put in the same level of love and support for their step-children in their day-to-day lives, but often take a back seat when it comes to recognition.
On special occasions, typically it’s kids’ biological mums and dads who are able to enjoy in their kids’ milestone moments. Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas and birthdays all give focus to children’s birth parents, as step-parents sit quietly in the background.
This becomes particulary apparent on wedding days as there are no traditional roles reserved for step-parents. If a bride would like to be walked down the aisle it is usually her birth father that has this honour while her step-father must watch on from the sidelines.
But one blended family in the U.S. has turned this wedding tradition on its head.
It was the wedding day of Brittany Peck and she ready to walk down the aisle with her dad to meet her husband-to-be.
Her doting dad, Todd Bachman, suited up in his black suit and red rose in his button-hole, held his daughter’s arm as he prepared to walk her down the aisle.
But in a moment that left everyone in tears, he stopped to find Brittany’s step-father, Todd Cendrosky, who had been watching from afar.
In the humbling gesture the dad took his daughter’s step-dad by the hand and pulled him into the spotlight where he too was able to enjoy the honour and glory of walking his step-daughter down the aisle.
“All of a sudden, at the last second, he turned his head to me and grabbed my hand,” Cendrosky told TODAY.com.
“He said, ‘Hey, come with me. You’ve had just as big of a part in raising this child. It’s time you and me walk our daughter down the aisle together.'”
The gesture was huge not only for step-dad, Todd, but his step-daughter and bride, Brittany.
“It meant the world to me,” she said.
“I’ve dreamed of this, ever since I knew that my stepdad was going to be my second dad. But I always knew in the back of my head that it wouldn’t happen because of the situation in my family and how no one ever got along.”
Wedding photographer Delia from Blackburn Photography has shared the emotional moment on Facebook, describing the reaction of guests at the ceremony, “NOT A DRY EYE at the ceremony…including me!” she said.
The beautiful photos have been shared across the world as they have since gone viral, with 1.2 million Facebook likes and over 500,000 shares.
Many on Facebook were touched by the gesture adding their own sentiments.
“So sad when people can’t put their kids first and work together for the good of the kids,” said one commenter, named Missy.
“What an awesome father to acknowledge the stepfather can love his daughter as much as he can and it not be a competition. His daughter will never forget that moment,” she added.
“Todd is a man who is a class act, and they are two awesome Dads together! Brittany is a lucky young woman to now have THREE men who love her that much, and I wish them all, all the happiness in the world!!” said another commenter, called Karen.
Step-dad Todd told Today.com that he always wanted to walk his step-daughter down the aisle.
“From day one, I looked at her as my daughter, but I knew that was Todd’s — the other Todd’s — given right being the birthing father. But this was his way of including me, and I thought that was the kindest gesture that anybody has ever set forth for me.”
