Sadly, a bride in Nebraska was married and widowed all on the same day, June 19. The bride, Johnnie Mae Davis, was wed to 48-year-old Toraze Davis, who heartbreakingly died from a fatal blood clot within an hour after the wedding ceremony.
The couple had reportedly chosen Juneteenth to get married to honor the holiday and Johhnie Mae’s grandmother, who was born the same day, the New York Post reported. Davis collapsed on the way to take photos outside of the church, per Insider. Friends of the bride and couple shared that their wedding day was coming on the heels of a personal loss for Johnnie Mae because her father had died prior to their wedding day, according to KCCI.
Friends and family have rallied around the bride and now widow by setting up a GoFundMe page, a meal train, and collecting other donations through the organization ECO Supportive Living where Davis worked.
More from CafeMom: Bride & Groom Speak Out After 10 of Their Guests Died in Wedding Bus Crash
The groom died from a medical event that was not ‘survivable,’ according to family and friends.
A wedding guest and friend of the couple said there was no way Toraze could have survived what happened.
As Jewel Roberson said, “Toraze suffered from a medical event that was not survivable. His heart stopped for the first time at 4:35 p.m. — just an hour after the ceremony had begun,” the Post reported. She added that the fatal blood clot incident happened fast, “In a second. It happened within seconds,” she explained.
More from CafeMom: Widow & Mom of Two Battling Rare Fatal Disease Needs a Bone Marrow Stem Cell Transplant
Sadly, the bride suffered a recent loss prior to losing her husband.
Friends of the bride and groom shared that the joy of their wedding day was needed because they had both recently suffered two major losses, including the death of Johnnie Mae’s father prior to the wedding, per the Post.
A friend and coworker added that the wedding day was a wonderful day in Toraze’s life.
“It was the happiest day of Toraze’s life. I could just see the smile on his face and how happy he was," said Monica Miller, an employee at ECO Supportive Living, according to the news outlet. "It was just his energy. I just knew that he was just, it was a great day for him.”
A family friend is using this incident to warn others about the importance of taking care of their health.
Nurse Tonja Ross is using this devastating loss to encourage others to get checked out if they feel something is wrong. "Every second, minute you take it seriously. You try to keep your health together so you can have more happy times and your life won't get cut short like this,” Ross said, per KCCI.
“Not all medical emergencies are preventable. However, some may be. Please learn from this tragedy and try to keep up with you and your family’s health by keeping your doctor updated on any concerns, signs, or symptoms and doing your yearly visits,” she continued. “It is important to keep being active in your health, so your happiest day does not turn into the most devastating day of your life or your loved ones' life.”
Friends and family are fundraising for the bride and her children.
A friend of the bride, Monica Miller, set up a GoFundMe account to help with funeral costs for Johnnie Mae's husband and life expenses for the family. So far more than $20,000 has been raised of the $100,000 goal. Miller wrote on the GoFundMe page, “All our hearts are aching for Mrs. Davis and her children. We are asking that you donate towards the burial expenses for Toraze and money to help the new bride with their children. As you know, Johnnie Mae always helps others; this is our time to help her. Please Pray for her and The Davis Family!”
A friend of the couple and wedding guest Jewel Roberson added that Johnnie Mae is such a kind person who has been through so much. "She's been widowed and married in a 10-minute span. She's going to need lawn services. She's going to need snow removal when the winter comes. Johnnie Mae has suffered through so much, and she's just such a loving person,” Roberson said, according to Insider.
