Lifestyle

Actions

Heart-wrenching photo shows man sharing meal with wife at her memorial at granddaughter's wedding

Posted
and last updated

A West Virginia bride captured a powerful image during her wedding: her grandfather sharing a moment alone with his late wife.

Sahrah Elswick told CNN that she was eating and talking with guests at her reception in Alderson, West Virginia, on Saturday when she saw him.

Her grandfather, Billy Gray, was sitting in front of a white rocking chair set up as a memorial to departed family members, including his late wife, Barbara. The chair was decorated with photos of the bride and groom's departed loved ones, and a sign had been placed on the chair saying, "We know you would be here today if heaven wasn't so far away."

"I immediately burst out in tears," she said. "I was heartbroken but in such awe at how pure their love was and is."

She tweeted out the photo of him, writing "Pawpaw sat and ate with Mawmaw today at my wedding."

The photos have since been retweeted nearly 20,000 times.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Tuesday

07/01/2025

Clear

-° / 73°

0%

Wednesday

07/02/2025

Clear

103° / 73°

0%

Thursday

07/03/2025

Clear

103° / 69°

0%

Friday

07/04/2025

Clear

96° / 67°

0%

Saturday

07/05/2025

Clear

96° / 68°

0%

Sunday

07/06/2025

Clear

99° / 70°

0%

Monday

07/07/2025

Clear

102° / 71°

0%

Tuesday

07/08/2025

Mostly Clear

103° / 74°

0%