Morgan Hartman and Phil Deamezola celebrate their wedding.Photo:Alain Martinez Studio
Alain Martinez Studio
The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami made one deserving couple’s wedding dreams come true.
Last month, the resort orchestrated an all-expenses-paid wedding for Morgan Hartman and her now-husband, Phil Deamezola, both of whom recently faced significant health challenges. Hartman was diagnosed with cancer in 2020, and Deamezola experienced an abdominal aortic aneurysm earlier this year.
“I think we underestimated the magnitude of donations — of time, services, the ingredients for a fairy-tale wedding. The goodwill, love and kindness and generosity that was showered on us was truly overwhelming at times,” Deamezola notes.
Morgan Hartman and Phil Deamezola celebrate their wedding at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami.Alain Martinez Studio
“I couldn’t have done any of it without his love and support,” she says.
“Phil proposed with a beautiful ring, and then we thought, ‘Maybe we shouldn’t get married because I’m sick. Maybe we should wait until we are healthy and the dust settles,'” Hartman explains.
Morgan Hartman and Phil Deamezola kiss on their wedding day.Alain Martinez Studio
Earlier this year, she celebrated two years of being cancer-free. However, Deamezola suddenly fell ill and required emergency surgery at Baptist Health for his aneurysm.
Once he recovered, the pair finally turned their thoughts to getting married. Hartman decided to apply to Gift of a Lifetime, and they soon learned the exciting news that they had been chosen.
When their long-awaited wedding day arrived, they were thrilled to say “I do” with their loved ones looking on. “The day was magical,” Hartman tells PEOPLE of the nuptials. “Everything came together. From start to finish, it was seamless, joyful, loving, full of hope and good cheer.”
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Morgan Hartman and Phil Deamezola embrace on their wedding day.Alain Martinez Studio
They especially loved the stunning ocean backdrop at the Ritz-Carlton, which made their ceremony that much more special. “I could not have planned a more perfect day in my dreams,” Hartman notes.
“Everyone was excited to be part of the wedding,” she continues. “My brother-in-law and nephew walked me down the aisle, his kids stood up with us, my mom wore sequins. We danced with our parents.”
In a particularly poignant moment for Hartman, she and Deamezola were invited upstairs as their reception was winding down to do “one last media thing” as part of the Gift of a Lifetime program — only, it turned out that a very special guest was waiting to surprise them.
“My thoracic surgeon [Dr. Derosimo] walked out of a back room to hug us and say congratulations,” Hartman recalls. “This man is busy, and he took time off to punctuate our amazing day.”
Morgan Hartman hugs Dr. Derosimo as husband Phil Deamezola looks on.Alain Martinez Studio
Now, the couple is looking forward to their future together — with plenty of gratitude. “We are grateful for our lives filled with love, joy and fun,” Hartman tells PEOPLE.
“We are grateful that there is life after cancer and major medical issues,” she continues. “We are grateful for each other, our families and friends, the amazing people at Baptist Health and Miami Cancer Institute, the generous people at the Ritz-Carlton, and all of the people who contributed to make a dreamy wedding day.”
“Whatever word that comes beyond grateful? We are that,” Hartman declares.
source: people.com
