From hospital bed to wedding vows

Malcolm Dodson and his wife, Paula, were supposed to marry on Valentine’s Day, but when Malcolm fell ill, their wedding plans came to a halt.

A week later, with the help of the team at AdventHealth, the couple said “I do” in an unexpected place, the hospital’s chapel.

What seemed like a common cold quickly escalated, leaving Malcolm unable to move, he was admitted to AdventHealth Palm Coast. Getting sick took Malcolm, 60, of Palm Coast, away from his business as General Manager at Cue Note Billiards.

Despite his illness, Malcolm never lost sight of the special day he and Paula had been dreaming of.

When Krista Beltz, nurse manager of the hospital’s progressive care unit, visited him on Valentine’s Day, she saw his disappointment.

“I walked into the room and said, ‘Hey, Malcolm, Happy Valentine’s Day, how are you doing today?’” said Beltz. “And he was like, ‘It is Valentine’s Day, and it was supposed to be my wedding day.’ My heart just broke for him.”

Determined to make his dream come true, Beltz and her team sprang into action. When Malcolm asked if he could get married in the hospital’s chapel, Beltz didn’t hesitate.

In just one day, Beltz and her colleagues pulled together every detail: flowers, cake, a Mr. and Mrs. cake cutter.

Surrounded by close family members and friends, Malcolm and Paula exchanged vows in the hospital’s chapel – turning an unexpected setting into one filled with love, joy and celebration.

The day before the wedding, the hospital’s progressive care unit received a surprise delivery: a bouquet of roses with a note that read: “Thank you for all you do for your patients.”

The sender was anonymous, but the florist let it slip: it was Malcolm.

“When I asked him about it, he just smiled and said, ‘Shh. I don’t want anyone to know. I just want you to know that you care for everyone so well and I just want you all to feel appreciated,’” said Beltz.

At AdventHealth Palm Coast, the team is adamant that whole-person care is a commitment lived out every day.

“We give our all for our patients, not just in treating illness, but in lifting spirits,” said Beltz. “Some of our patients are very sick, but finding moments of joy during difficult times is what makes this work so special.”

For Malcolm, the kindness he and Paula experienced reflected something he’s always loved about his hometown.

“Being a 10-year resident of Palm Coast, one of the beautiful things I have noticed is the family structure in this community,” said Malcolm. “The love and support here are unmatched.”