After their mom died, 2 sisters stepped in to dance with their brother on his wedding day
At the end of the day, your siblings are all you have, Nicole Pellegrino tells TODAY.com.
The social media influencer shared a heartfelt video of her and her sister, Jenna Hunt, dancing with their younger brother, Chris Pellegrino, at his wedding in place of their mother, who passed away in 2017.
“POV your mom passed away, so you and your sister danced with your brother for his mother-son dance at his wedding,” she wrote over the video with a red heart emoji.
Speaking with TODAY.com, Pellegrino says she was looking through some old videos when she came across the clip of her siblings dancing at her brother's November 2021 wedding. The dance took place about four years after their mom died from chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a rare form of blood and bone marrow cancer.
“Given that (our mom) was no longer with us, my sister and I were like, ‘OK, we’ll dance with him in her place,’” she says, adding that there wasn’t a question that both of them would dance with their brother.
Pellegrino says the decision was made after her now sister-in-law, who was marrying their brother, said she planned to do a father-daughter dance. And while the shared dance was special for her brother's big day, Pellegrino says the performance helped to heal her and her sister as well.
“Everybody’s like, ‘That must have meant so much to your brother that you guys danced with him and I was like, ‘It definitely did, but it also meant a lot to my sister and I,’” she explains. “It kind of was a way for all of us to feel special and really honor (our mom) and remember her on that special day in a really great way.”
As for the song, Pellegrino put Patrick Watson’s popular “Je te laisserai des mots” instrumental over the social media edit, which likely provoked even more of an emotional response from viewers.
The actual song the siblings danced to was significantly more upbeat: “Dancing in the Moonlight” by King Harvest.
“My mom was a very happy, upbeat, energetic, charismatic person. We really intentionally picked a song that kind of matched her vibe,” Pellegrino says. “It was just really special.”
The video has received over 100 comments since it was posted, with people saying they found comfort and inspiration from the sweet moment after losing loved ones themselves.
“My dad passed away 3 years ago and my brothers and I are doing this on my wedding day,” one person wrote.
Another commented, “My dad passed and I danced with my mom, brother, godson and cousin instead.”
Given Pellegrino shared the video in the morning, others said she should be held responsible for some major emotions early in the day.
“Crying in the dentist office waiting room wasn’t on my Tuesday bucket list but this video did it,” one person commented.
“I’m billing you for today's therapy session,” another wrote.
Pellegrino was touched by the loving response to her post, but also called the reaction “jarring.”
“I didn’t realize how many people have lost parents who are not yet married — which obviously, way too soon to have lost a parent when you’re young,” she adds.
More than anything though, Pellegrino says she hopes the heartfelt moment emphasizes the bond between brothers and sisters.
“I'm hoping my video inspires other people to really lean on their siblings during times of tragedy, especially if maybe they don’t get along with their siblings,” she says. “It's the time to rectify that relationship with their siblings, because at the end of the day, siblings are all you have.”
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
