"After my dad passed away, I guess he kind of filled that spot as that person you can go to for anything," said bride Allysson Eischens.
A Minnesota bride didn’t have anyone to give her away at the altar following her father's death, but her husband was able to come up with a suitable replacement.
Read: Bride Has Wedding in Hospital So Father, Who Died 2 Days Later, Could Witness Her Big Day
Allyson Eischens of Sartell was given the surprise of her life when, just before her wedding, her late father’s best friend, Chris Roose, showed up at their hotel room unexpectedly.
“The kids closed my eyes... all of a sudden, I heard Chris say, ‘I heard somebody needs to be given away,” Eischens told InsideEdition.com. “I hadn’t even seen him yet but I knew it was his voice.”
Eischens said after her dad died, Roose became her father figure.
“Our families were always hanging out together and after my dad passed away, I guess he kind of filled that spot as that person you can go to for anything and was always there,” Eischens said.
She explained that Roose, who lives in Florida, originally said he couldn’t make it to the wedding after his wife had an accident and was left bedridden.
Read: Newborn Smiles as She's Placed in Late Father's Gloves: 'He Will Always Be With Us'
Although Roose is terrified of flying, her now-husband Garrett Eischens purchased his plane ticket and convinced him the make the trip.
“I thought I was going to be a total wreck walking down the aisle, but we made it,” Eischens said. “He grabbed my hand and squeezed my hand and said, ‘We got this.’”
Watch: Uncles and Brothers Step In During 'Dad-Daughter Dance' for Bride Who Lost Her Father
