Devoted Ohio Dad Fulfills Last Wish to Walk Daughter Down the Aisle, Dies 34 Hours Later

When an Ohio father faced multiple health problems, one after the other, he battled them with only one goal—to walk his daughter down the aisle and dance with her.

Bob Voelkel's charming personality was enough to make people fall in love with him. His friends and family never had anything bad to say about him and always enjoyed his company.

It took him only six weeks to convince his wife, Randi Voelkel, to marry him. After she agreed, he didn't waste time and soon started a new chapter of his life with her.

A Loving Husband and Father

May 2019 marked the couple's 40th wedding anniversary, and it reminded Randi of all the good times she had spent with her husband. She shared a daughter named Gina with him, and Bob loved his girl dearly.

Whenever Gina told him she wanted something, Bob would go above and beyond to fulfill all her wishes. He was the best dad a girl could ever ask for and the perfect husband for Randi.

"He was just the nicest person in the whole world," Randi said. She witnessed Bob's love for their daughter and said he considered Gina his "little girl."

His Health Condition

When Gina told her beloved father about the man she wanted to marry, he was delighted to know that his little girl had finally found a man to spend the rest of her life with. He eagerly looked forward to walking her down the aisle, but he had to overcome many obstacles before that could happen.

When Gina heard his excuse, she said she would become his donor.

As years passed, Bob's health condition deteriorated. First, he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, followed by sclerosing cholangitis. Soon, he started experiencing frequent infections, and his trips to the hospital also increased.

He Needed a Liver Transplant

After his health further deteriorated, the doctors told Bob he needed a liver transplant. Despite knowing how crucial it was for him to get a transplant, Bob didn't want one.

He said he didn't want to get a transplant as long as his liver was working fine. Bob felt someone else might need a liver transplant more than he, and he would lessen their chances of recovering if he opted for one.

However, when Gina heard his excuse, she said offered to become his donor. "No, fathers aren't supposed to put their daughters through that," he replied.

Since Gina knew her father very well, she was soon able to convince him to let her be his donor. While the family was happy that Bob would finally be on the road to recovery, they had no idea this was just the beginning of his health issues.

He Had One Goal

After the transplant, Bob would frequent the hospital for multiple health issues. He suffered kidney failure and multiple infections, which made him undergo three surgeries the following year. He even stayed in rehab five times.

Despite experiencing the worst, Bob never gave up. He had only one thing on his mind: his daughter's wedding. Bob wanted to get back on his toes as soon as possible and walk his daughter down the aisle. Gina said:

"He was a fighter. He was going to do whatever he could to have that moment and make it special and be there for that. He really did work hard."

He Enjoyed the Most

His efforts paid office because Bob made it to his daughter's wedding and was able to celebrate his daughter's happiness. Because he had to move around in a wheelchair, before Gina's big day, he prepared a wheelchair dance, which showed how much he loved his little girl.

Bob's doctor was also surprised to see how he kept fighting despite facing multiple health problems. He said Bob's story proved "anything is possible."

On Gina's wedding day, Bob did everything that he had imagined. Instead of walking her down the aisle, he accompanied her in his wheelchair. Later, he danced with her in his wheelchair and enjoyed the night.

His Last Wish

Gina and Randi were glad that Bob enjoyed his daughter's wedding and happily watched her be with the man she loved. He had nothing but good wishes and prayers for her.

However, 34 hours later, Bob closed his eyes forever. It seemed like he had only waited to see his daughter wear a beautiful wedding gown and start a new phase in her life.

Gina was on her honeymoon when she learned about her father's death and immediately headed home. "It was a terrible feeling," she confessed.

Although Bob's death saddened his family, they felt good to know that he had a ball before breathing his last. They knew he had battled his illness only to be there with Gina on her big day.

A father's love for his daughter is unlike any other, and Bob's story proves that fathers can go to any extent for their little girls. They can go against all odds for their daughter's happiness.

Click here to read another story about a dying dad who got one last father-daughter dance with his two princesses. Their story will leave you in tears.