He proposed to his girlfriend of 11 years after her heartbreaking cancer diagnosis — two days later, hospital staff fulfilled their lifelong dream
A love story shaped by time and sudden heartbreak unfolded inside a hospital in Englewood, Colorado. After 11 years together, Bailey Gleason proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Aliana, who was diagnosed with cancer. Just two days after the engagement, their shared dream of marriage came true, though not in the way they had once imagined. As reported by 9News on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, hospital staff stepped in to turn a painful chapter into one filled with meaning and care. The wedding took place at HCA HealthOne Swedish earlier this month, showing how love can rise even in the hardest moments.
For years, Aliana and Bailey spoke about marriage, but timing and money always stood in the way. Bailey shared that they wanted to wait until they could afford “a nice ring and all the decorations we wanted and everything.” That plan changed when Aliana was diagnosed with a rare sarcoma that had spread to her spine. Nurse manager Matt Turrie explained that there were “unfortunately, not a lot of treatment options,” a reality that forced the couple to rethink everything. "With some recent developments in our lives, we are thinking that life is short and that we want to be married," Bailey expressed. The proposal came quickly, but the decision felt certain.
Once hospital staff heard about the engagement, they moved fast to make something special happen. Nurses and other medical workers organized a free wedding inside the hospital. A video shared by the news channel showed staff standing in rows along a hallway, decorated with balloons on the ground, while others held flowers and balloons in their hands. Matt Turrie said moments like this matter because “there is not a lot you can always do, so when there is something you can do, by supporting the family, supporting the patient, being able to put on something like this, a wedding, a celebration." He also praised Aliana’s strength, saying that despite difficult news, “every day she wakes up, and she is smiling.”
For the couple, the ceremony was about more than vows or setting. Aliana said, “I feel stronger when I’m with him,” and promised to always stand beside Bailey, even through the hard times. "We are going through some [of] the hardest things you can go through right now in our lives, not just medically, in every aspect, and... it was a promise to just stand next to each other and face the storm together." She later shared that the support from hospital staff made her feel surrounded by goodness. Bailey said the day did not feel like a compromise at all, adding, “It doesn't feel like it's not the wedding we wanted, it feels perfect.” Both said they would not change a single moment. Reflecting on their journey, Aliana offered simple advice, "Once you find the right person, don't let little things get in the way. Don't let little fights slowly chip away at the magic that you have found."
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