Langford couple gets help from community putting on dream wedding so terminally-ill mother can go

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WATCH: A Langford couple is getting a helping hand from the community as they try to quickly set a date for their wedding. The mother of the groom is dying from cancer and they want to make sure she can be there for their big day. Luisa Alvarez has the story.

The love story of Langford couple Mike Schepaniuk and Rachelle Kipp goes back 14 years to when they first met.

We are best friends, side by side all the time no matter what,” said Kipp.

And eight years ago, they got engaged but life’s gotten in the way and a wedding wasn’t at the top of their priority list until now.

“Mike’s mom is suffering from a very fast aggressive form of cancer and we want to do this to have her there before it happens,” said Kipp.

Schepaniuk knows his mother would want to be there on the big day.

“It makes her happy. That’s the biggest thing for me is everything for my mom right now,” said Schepaniuk.

But time isn’t on their side. Her condition is getting worse and they need to tie the knot before it’s too late.

“It’s almost getting to the point where she is going to choose to go through the doctor-assisted death,” said Schepaniuk.

They were planning a simple courthouse wedding because they didn’t have time or money to plan anything else. The happy couple set their wedding date for Feb. 16 but needed a justice of the peace to marry them on such short notice.

That is when Kipp posted on the West Shore Mum’s Facebook group to see if anyone knew where to find one that would marry then within the next two weeks and then community started reaching out to Kipp.

“In 15 minutes, I had about 90 comments on this post asking if I needed cake, if I needed a dress, if I needed a photographer. Everyone just banded together it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen out of a community for support,” said Kipp, choking back tears.

That post went up on Monday and by Tuesday, Kipp had a dress fitting scheduled and everything else she needed to put on a wedding she always wanted.

“It just means more to me and to Mike than anybody will ever know,” said Kipp.

And when Mike told his mom, he said her reaction was all they needed to know this was the right thing to do.

“She pulled me towards her and said I am glad you are going to do that, that’s what I want,” said Schepaniuk.

“She’s been on me about this for a while and I know I will see a smile on her face that day for sure,” he added while smiling down at an old photograph of his mom.

For Kipp, walking down the aisle Feb. 16 will be the happiest day of her life. She will not only marry her best friend of fourteen years, but she will also be able to give her mother-in-law peace of mind.

“It means the world to me that she is going to go with grace and dignity knowing that her son is going to be okay,” said Kipp.

Luisa AlvarezLuisa Alvarez

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