A young couple in Minnesota showed what “in sickness and in health” really means when they got married in a hospital ICU.
Ariana Sleen, 23 and pregnant with her first child, was rushed to Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth on March 31 with severe back pain—just two weeks before she was supposed to marry her fiancé, Chandler Sleen.
Things quickly got worse. The hospital says Ariana was diagnosed with pneumonia, went into septic shock, and had to be put on a ventilator to help her breathe.
“I just remember being moved from room to room and not knowing what was happening,” Ariana said in an interview. “Then I’d wake up and see a bunch of people around me.”
According to a GoFundMe set up to support them, Ariana was in critical condition for several days. She had a serious urinary tract infection, a kidney infection with abscesses, and a lung infection. Through it all, Chandler stayed by her side.
Despite everything, the couple decided to go ahead with their wedding right there in the hospital. With the help of kind nurses, they had a small ceremony in the ICU.
“These ladies have been so sweet,” Ariana said. “They’ll definitely get invites to our wedding reception.”
The couple also shared that they plan to return to the same hospital in June when their baby boy, whom they’ve named Sebastian, is due to arrive.
Olekanma Favour is a resourceful, self-motivated, and result-driven writer with a passion for crafting compelling narratives and insightful content. She loves tackling complex topics and weaving engaging stories.
When she’s not writing, Olekanma enjoys immersing herself in a good book, exploring new cuisines, and discovering new cultures.