A Beautiful Gift To A Father Going Blind

by Kevin Burton

   Few sights in life are as breathtaking and heartwarming as a woman in her wedding dress.

   Seems that is true even when the woman is not yet a bride. And it’s especially true, when a loving father is going blind.

   Reporter Hollie Carr from the Dorset Echo, in England, tells the story of a daughter, giving a beautiful gift to her father, who has a degenerative eye condition.

“A woman who feared her dad may never see her in a wedding dress as he is going blind, has had her dream come true.”

   “Graham Pryor, 55, was diagnosed at 19 with retinitis pigmentosa, which is a genetic disease that causes the cells in the retina to break down over time, leading to vision loss,” Carr wrote.

   “It is the same condition which affects comedian Chris McCausland who has been described as an ‘amazing role model’ for blind people as he wows judges on the current series of Strictly Come Dancing. He is the BBC dancing competition’s first blind contestant.

   “In recent years, Pryor’s condition has been deteriorating and his eyesight ‘is gradually starting to go.’

   “His daughter Abi explained that because of this, her dad wasn’t going to have the chance ‘to see her get married or in a wedding dress’ in the future – so she took matters into her own hands.

   “After making arrangements with the owner, she invited her dad to a wedding shop where she tried on several dresses for him to see in what was described as a very emotional day.”

   Abi Pryor, 26, from Blandford, said: “I came up with the idea to take my dad to a bridal boutique. It’s the one thing that I can control, and I thought ‘if I don’t do it now, it will be too late’ and I would have been absolutely gutted.”

   “She got in touch with Kayleigh Jones, owner of Exclusively Yours Bridal Boutique in Salisbury Street, Blandford as she ‘drives past the shop every day on her way to and from work.’

   “Miss Pryor, a branch manager for estate agents Dorset Property, said: “She was straight up for it and my work let me have the day off. Kayleigh let me try on several different dresses.”

   “Jones explained that Graham was ‘quiet because it was a very emotional experience,’ adding that it had ‘restored her faith in humanity.’

   She added: “Abi contacted me and explained that she wasn’t getting married but that she was from Blandford and that her dad was losing his eyesight and wasn’t going to have the chance to see her get married or in a wedding dress.”  

   “So of course I said yes. It was a really lovely day but a bit sad.”

   “It tugged on the heart strings of the boutique owner even more because she also has a ‘lovely relationship with her dad and would like to think that if she was in the same position that someone else would do the same for her.’”

   Every now and then I see stories of people who know they are losing vision, creating a bucket list of things to see before it’s too late. I get this. I’m not condemning them. But that always gives me mixed emotions, as if perhaps they are saying all enjoyment of travel experiences are tied to vision.

   This story hit me quite differently. It hit me as bittersweet, but much more sweet than bitter.

   I hope Abi gets her moment of white lace and promises in due time. And hats of to the boutique owner who got no money from doing a favor for this stranger.  I hope the news article sways engaged couple to go to her shop to prepare for their big day.