Sherwood teen gets father-daughter dance with terminally ill dad

APPLETON, Wis. (WBAY) - Most girls dream about dancing with their dad at their wedding, but for a Sherwood teen, that dance came before she was even engaged. With her father dying from cancer, Kiley Gegare knew she couldn’t wait for Mr. Right to have that perfect moment.

It’s been nearly two years since Kiley Gegare had her father-daughter dance. She says, “Having those memories and having the pictures are the greatest thing I could have ever asked for.”

In November of 2019, Gegare wasn’t newly married, she wasn’t even engaged, but her father, Brad, was terminally ill. The then 19-year old college freshman texted her mom and told her she wanted to try and stage the wedding reception ritual.

According to Gegare, “I never actually thought that we’d be able to get the opportunity to do it” -- with the help of friends, family, and a few business connections, like 313 Dodge which provided the location, Angie Olson, who did Kiley’s hair, and Tiffani’s Bridal in Appleton, which loaned Gegare a gown.

Owner Tiffani Ebben says, “It was really a short span of time, but we were very lucky. It must have been meant to be because we found a dress that fit like a glove and looked absolutely amazing.”

The perfect father daughter dance happened. “He was a mess the whole time,” says Gegare. “And I know it was really hard for him to do, but I know he would have never wanted to miss it.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Her mom, Kris Wallace, adds, “Their faces were priceless in the pictures. Just when they danced. We had him turn around so he couldn’t see her and then turned around, he just broke down and she did. And it was just a beautiful moment that I hoped would give some comfort.”

Nearly two years later, Gegare and her mom decided it was time to share their story, and pay it forward, her mom posting on the Tiffani’s Bridal Facebook page about their experience.

“I do think that it needed to be out there for people to know how great the people who helped do it are,” says Gegare. And she and her mom hope others follow suit and spread kindness.

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