The act of a father dancing can sometimes cause embarrassment for a young daughter. However, when Ava’s father invited her to dance in her hospital room, the 10-year-old couldn’t have been happier. Ava was born with multiple congenital heart defects, leading to her needing a heart transplant. She spent over 200 days in the hospital awaiting a suitable donor heart. Regrettably, this meant missing her school’s annual father-daughter dance.
But Ava’s parents and caregivers were determined to ensure she didn’t miss out. Unable to attend the dance, they brought the dance to her. Ava’s mother helped her get ready, while her father, Sean, stood outside the door with a bouquet of flowers.
Overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing his daughter in a lovely pink dress, Sean was moved to tears as he escorted Ava down the hallway into a hospital room transformed into a dance setting by Ava’s care team at Cleveland Clinic Children’s.
Held close in her father’s embrace, the dance was a beautiful moment, even if it wasn’t the one they originally envisioned. Share your positive moments with Humankind! Submit your heartwarming, adorable, or motivational videos for us to showcase. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for our top stories of the week delivered directly to your inbox.
This heartwarming story was first featured on USA TODAY: Heart transplant patient surprised by father-daughter dance
