A wedding should be an occasion for families to join together in celebration but, due to ill health, Jean Owler from Dundee was resigned to missing her grandson’s big day.
What she did not know was that staff at Ballumbie Court care home had arranged for the wedding – which took place around 300 miles away in Yorkshire – to be broadcast to her over Skype.
Her daughter Moyra Lorimer, said: “My son, Derrick Lorimer, was married on March 26 in Yorkshire.
“My mother, due to her ill health, was unable to attend.
“Hearing this, my daughter-in-law, Caroline, contacted Ballumbie and asked if they had Skype so that my mother could see the wedding.
“They didn’t have this set up but a member of staff, Nicki, has Skype at her house, so the staff all helped her to have my mother be at Nicki’s house on March 26 to see the wedding ceremony.
“She didn’t know anything about it until the day itself. It was a complete surprise to her –they had told her she was just being taken out for the day.
“It made my mother and family so happy to be part of this special day.”
She said: “I can’t thank all the staff at Ballumbie home enough for what they did to make a 91-year-old lady so happy.
“I feel that Ballumbie Court deserve much praise for their kind actions.
“This kindness is not only for one day – this is a regular occurrence.”
The home’s Gail Hocking said: “We didn’t have wi-fi in the home at the time, but the Skype broadcast of the wedding was such a hit that the company has now installed wi-fi.
“Jean had a great time. We asked her what her absolute favourite meal was, and she said it was mince and tatties.
“So we made that for her to eat while she was watching the wedding, as though she was having a wedding meal.
“She also toasted the bride and groom with a cup of tea.”
