A woman has been left widowed in Iowa just 10 minutes after her wedding, due to her husband dying from a fatal blood clot, according to local reports.
Bride Johnnie Mae Davis married her husband Toraze Davis, 48, in Nebraska on 19 June – a holiday known as Juneteenth.
However, according to local news outlet in Des Moines, Iowa, KCCI, Toraze’s heart stopped around an hour into the ceremony, and he died “within seconds”.
At the wedding were the bride and groom’s family and friends, and they chose to have their wedding on Juneteenth in recognition of the holiday, and in celebration of the birthday of Johnnie Mae’s grandmother.
Monica Miller, who works with Johnnie Mae at ECO Supportive Living, said: “It was the happiest day of Toraze’s life. I could just see the smile on his face and how happy he was.
“It [was] just his energy I just knew that he was just, it was a great day for him.”
Ms Miller launched a crowdfunding campaign in the wake of the tragedy, aiming to raise £100,000 to assist with “burial expenses for Toraze and money to help the new bride with their children”.
“We really want to stress that we want to be able to take care of her and… nurture her children and ourselves,” Ms Miller added.
As of Tuesday morning, more than £21,000 had been raised.
She went on to say: “[Johnnie Mae] goes above and beyond for the elderly and disabled population that we serve.
“I just really want the community and all of us to just support her in the same way that she does on a daily basis.”
Wedding guest Jewel Roberson told KCCI the medical event was “not survivable”, and she hopes the money raised will help Johnnie Mae with the upkeep of her home.