With the help of a pricey gadget, a blind woman was able to see her daughter get married.
A blind Pennsylvania woman got to witness her daughter‘s wedding, thanks to the help of some special glasses.
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Joy Hoke became legally blind after she was diagnosed with Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION), a rare eye disease, in 2013. She couldn’t believe she wouldn’t be able to see her daughter Lauren’s wedding, and all the events leading up to it.
“When doctors told me I was legally blind…I thought I wasn’t going to be able see her wedding,” she told InsideEdition.com.
She said it was tough to sit in on dress fittings and not able to see “the one.” Quietly, her daughter "was equally devastated that I couldn’t help pick out her dress or see her walk down the aisle."
A friend led her to glasses for the visually impaired. The cost was $15,000, and not covered by insurance.
Her husband came up with the idea to set up a GoFund Me account to raise the money, and they met the goal in just six days.
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“It was an outpouring of love form the community. I thought, ‘Oh my God, never in a million years could we afford it. It was amazing, a whirlwind of emotions, happiness, and feeling blessed,” she said.
With Joy’s new glasses, she and daughter went back to the bridal store so Lauren could try on the dress for her mother to see.
“After we got the glasses, she asked the bridal salon if we can have a private fitting and the employees helped her. And she came out and we started crying,” she said.
With her pricey new gadget, Hoke was able to see her daughter walk down the aisle on May 7.
“I hope this story will help someone and inspire somebody. Life is full of surprises. Some are great and some aren’t,” she said.
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