Wisconsin teen gets father-daughter dance with terminally ill dad

APPLETON, Wis. (WBAY/Gray News) - Most girls dream about dancing with their dad at their wedding, but for a Wisconsin teen, that dance came before she was even engaged.

With her father dying from cancer, Kiley Gegare knew she couldn’t wait for Mr. Right to have that perfect moment.

WBAY reported that it’s been nearly two years since Gegare had her father-daughter dance.

“Having those memories and having the pictures are the greatest thing I could have ever asked for,” she said.

In November 2019, Gegare wasn’t newly married. She wasn’t even engaged, but her father, Brad, was terminally ill.

The then 19-year old college freshman texted her mom and told her she wanted to try and stage a wedding reception ritual.

“I never actually thought that we’d be able to get the opportunity to do it,” she said.

With the help of friends, family, and a few business connections, they pulled it off. 313 Dodge provided the location, Angie Olson did Gegare’s hair, and Tiffani’s Bridal in Appleton loaned her a gown.

“It was really a short span of time, but we were very lucky,” said owner Tiffani Ebben. “It must have been meant to be because we found a dress that fit like a glove and looked absolutely amazing.”

The perfect father daughter dance happened.

“He was a mess the whole time,” Gegare said. “And I know it was really hard for him to do, but I know he would have never wanted to miss it.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

“Their faces were priceless in the pictures. Just when they danced,” Kris Wallace, Gegare’s mother, said. “We had him turn around so he couldn’t see her and then turned around, and he just broke down and she did. And it was just a beautiful moment that I hoped would give some comfort.”

Nearly two years later, Gegare and Wallace decided it was time to share their story, and pay it forward.

Wallace posted on the Tiffani’s Bridal Facebook page about their experience.

“I do think that it needed to be out there for people to know how great the people who helped do it are,” Gegare said.

And she and Wallace hope others follow suit and spread kindness.

Copyright 2021 WBAY via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.