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Joy and tears as Chris and Toni
wed
20.05.10
by Linda McGrory
A BUNCRANA couple who suffered a cot death tragedy
last year got married at the weekend in a poignant
ceremony filled with memories of their beloved baby
boy.
Chris and Toni McFadden took their wedding vows on
Saturday in St Mary's Chapel, Cockhill, before going
straight to the adjoining graveyard to say prayers
at the graveside of baby, Shae.
The couple's heartbreak made national headlines last
November when it emerged they personally carried
their two-week old infant's remains for autopsy to
Dublin due to the lack of a child pathology service
in Co Donegal.
Essex-born Toni, 22, said their special day was full
of joy and tears with baby Shae never too far from
their thoughts. |
"One of our offertory
gifts was a photo of Shae and we also had a photo of
him at the reception. We went to Shae's grave
straight after the wedding ceremony and I even got
my heel stuck in the mud on the way," said Toni,
smiling.
She also revealed how she intends having her wedding
bouquet specially-preserved to place permanently on
her child’s grave.
The young couple, who also have a daughter Alix, 3½,
said they continue to have "good and bad days" but
are delighted to have finally tied the knot, cheered
on by around 70 family and friends.
Fun-loving Chris also arranged for his pal, Illies
man Barry Doherty, to take him, his bestman, brother
James, groomsman Liam Kearney |
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and dad Colm to the
church in style - in a Massey Ferguson tractor.
Meanwhile, Toni would only agree to go as far as
Letterkenny for a two-night honeymoon because she
couldn't bear to be separated from her "mini-me"
Alix, for any longer.
"We couldn't have asked for a better day. Fr Eddie
McGuinness was at a wedding in Rome but travelled
back to do ours, saying he wouldn't miss it for
anything. And everyone really enjoyed the reception
at the Laurentic in the Parish," added Chris. |
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