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Father’s Wedding Gesture to Stepfather Tugs at a Million Hearts

As a father prepared to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding, he halted the procession and made a gesture that has resonated with stepparents across the world.

Todd Bachman, the biological father of Brittany Peck, approached her stepfather, Todd Cendrosky, and invited him to walk the bride down the aisle together during the ceremony in Lorain County, Ohio, last weekend. Mr. Cendrosky had not expected the invitation, and he began to cry as Mr. Bachman led him by the hand.

The moment was captured by the wedding photographer, Delia Blackburn, and posted to Facebook, where it has been shared over 500,000 times and liked by more than one million people.

Ms. Blackburn said she cried as she took the photos, touched by the gesture as a stepmother herself. She said the job of the stepparent is often difficult and thankless.

“So when someone acknowledges and appreciates you, it tugs at your heart,” she said. “It just breaks you down with emotion.”

Mr. Bachman told a Cleveland television station that there were some tough stretches in the family over 14 years, but that he wanted to convey his appreciation to Mr. Cendrosky.

“For me to thank him for all the years of helping raise our daughter wouldn’t be enough,” Mr. Bachman told WKYC. “There is no better way to thank somebody than to assist me walking her down the aisle.”

Indeed, Mr. Cendrosky told the station that it often crossed his mind that he wouldn’t be walking Ms. Peck down the aisle.

“He came and grabbed my hand, and said: ‘You worked as hard as I have. You’ll help us walk our daughter down the aisle,’ ” Mr. Cendrosky said. “I got weak in the knees and lost it. Nothing better in my life. The most impactful moment in my life.”

Ms. Blackburn said she and the family had been heartened by the international attention and hoped that the example would inspire other families. The comments on the Facebook photos suggested thousands of people had appreciated the sentiment.

“Amazing act of unselfish love, respect, and recognition for his daughter,” one commenter wrote.

Read more: The Stepfather and The Wedding: A Family’s Viral Story Still Hits Home

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