3-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Was The Guest Of Honor At Her Bone Marrow Donor's Wedding

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3-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Serves As Flower Girl For The Stranger Who Saved Her Life

Mark Broadway Photography

Skye Savren-McCormick is just three years old, but she's already lived through a lifetime of challenges.

Before her first birthday, Skye was diagnosed with leukemia, and doctors gave her just a 10% chance to live.

The little fighter spent 10 months in hospital, getting daily blood and platelet transfusions, bone marrow transplants, and even chemotherapy.

She's finally in remission, and owes her life to a woman who donated her bone marrow to a total stranger.

Skye and her bone marrow donor, Hayden Ryals.Mark Broadway Photography

This month, the pair finally met in person, and it was a special occasion that neither of them will ever forget.

"All I could do was smile."

Hayden Ryals, now 26, was in college when she first signed up to be a bone marrow donor.

She had already donated blood and platelets, and decided on a whim to join the bone marrow registry.

At the time, she thought there was "like a one in a gazillion chance that I would ever be a match."

Skye and her parents.Mark Broadway Photography

But just a year later, Ryals got the good news that she was a match for Skye, and started donating her bone marrow.

That might have been the end of the story, except both Ryals and Skye's parents wanted to learn more about each other.

They exchanged letters, then became online friends, and Skye was able to personally thank her hero, who she calls "Hay Hay."

Mark Broadway Photography

On Skye's third birthday, Ryals gave her one more incredible gift: an invitation to be the flower girl at her wedding.

The pair finally met in person at the rehearsal dinner for the big night, and Ryals said she "just dropped to my knees, and all I could do was smile."

Not a dry eye in the house

Mark Broadway Photography

Skye's parents say she practiced throwing flower petals in her living room before the wedding, and the adorable flower girl was definitely a hit with the crowd.

Her mother, Talia Savren-McCormick, said everyone "was ugly crying."

Mark Broadway Photography

Wedding photographer Jeannie Broadway told CNN "you could even hear sobs from people."

After the ceremony, Skye posed for pictures with her special friend, but they both agree this isn't the end of their relationship.

Mark Broadway Photography
Mark Broadway Photography
Mark Broadway Photography

"They are going to be part of our lives forever," Savren-McCormick said.

"She saved our daughter's life."

But Skye's parents want to remind everyone that "anyone could be somebody who saves a life."

"You don't have to be a superhero."

You can learn more about signing up to be a bone marrow donor here.

Learn where you can give blood here.

Learn how to register to be an organ donor here.

[H/T: ABC News, CBS News, CNN]

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