When Bryan Arnesen learned earlier this year he likely had only a few months to live, he began thinking about what his last wish would be.

He could have easily wished to be cured; instead he wished to give his wife the “real wedding she always wanted and deserved but never had.”

Arnesen, 43, and his wife, Cindy, were married by a justice of the peace in 2002 after Bryan was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer known as soft-tissue synovial sarcoma and shortly after doctors told Bryan he had three months to live. Saturday evening, with the help and generosity of about 30 local people and businesses, 200 friends and family members attended their reaffirmation and blessing of their union, complete with bridesmaids, the lighting of the unity candle and the kissing of the bride.

“Everyone has outdone themselves today and I appreciate more than anyone will ever know because so many of these people that I’ve never even met before have helped me give my wife the fancy party she’s always deserved,” Bryan Arnesen said. “She’s taken care of me and done so much, I had to give her this while I’m here.”

Barb Warner, a 10-year cousin of Bryan’s through marriage, spent most of the ceremony in tears.

“Those two right there,” she said pointing at the newly reaffirmed bride and groom, “are the two strongest people I’ve ever met in my life and they’re an inspiration to everyone here.”

When 13-year-old Bryan Arnesen fell for 11-year-old Cindy Nastrucci in summer 1975, they never guessed they were developing a love that lasted through high school, a break-up and each marrying other people and having three kids before finding their way back to each other 25 years later.

The Arnesens had dreams of opening their own heating and air-conditioning business, combining the skills Cindy used as an office manager for a local plumber and Bryan’s heating and air-conditioning expertise. Those dreams came to end in 2001 when the Arnesens’ lives dramatically changed.

That was the year Bryan returned home from work one day complaining of foot pain. He was eventually diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a cancerous tumor of the tissue around joints. His professional career was over.

Cindy eventually lost her job with a local plumber after taking off too many days to tend to her husband.

Symptoms of soft-tissue sarcoma often don’t appear until the disease is advanced, so only about 50 percent of cases are found before the cancer has spread. In Bryan’s case, the sarcoma on his foot had grown too large before it was diagnosed. Last July, his right foot was amputated to prevent further spread of the cancer, but it had already moved to his lungs. On a typical day, Arnesen spends most of his time in his bed, fatigued from the chemotherapy treatments. He didn’t take any treatments for about a week prior to the ceremony, however.

“Some things you just have to get up for and today is one of those things,” he said following the ceremony.

Despite being told he has less than a year to live, Bryan said he hopes to have only a few more treatments before the cancer stops growing so he and his doctors can focus on beating the deadly disease. Within the last two months, since finding a doctor he believes can treat him at Chicago’s Lutheran General Hospital, he has been able to stop making trips to visit a doctor in New York every 12 days, thus saving much-needed money.

“I’m a fighter,” he said. “This may be my toughest fight yet, but I’m going to fight it until the end.”

After Bryan learned his prognosis was grim, he wrote to the Fairygodmother Foundation and asked to have his last wish granted. Fairygodmother, which Cindy learned of from a cancer publication, grants wishes for adults diagnosed with terminal illnesses and their families. Fairygodmother and the Strike at Cancer Foundation of Franklin Park were able to secure donations of everything from the hall at Monty’s Banquets in Bensenville to the flowers, and makeup for the bridal party.

“You see people doing all they can and being so selfless, you want to do all you can to help them out,” Strike at Cancer President Rick Weigand said. “Once all these people heard Bryan’s story the donations haven’t stopped and that feels amazing. They can all be proud of what they’ve done for this couple.”

After sharing the first dance with Bryan, to Lonestar’s “Amazed,” Cindy Arnesen was able to get three words out through the tears of joy.

“Thank you, everyone.”

The Rev. Alan Taylor of Unity Temple in Oak Park (left) officiated at the ceremony.

Bryan & Cindy during the Unity Candle ceremony, with Bryan's daughter Jennelle (left) and Cindy's daughters Mandy & Heather

The girls form a circle around Bryan & Cindy as they dance to "Amazed" by Lone Star. Photo by Penny Burgess

Right: Allyssa Arneson has her hem adjusted by seamstress, Marge Nilson of Bartlett, who handled alterations for the girls' dresses. The gowns were provided by Jasmine Bridal, a bridal gown manufacturer in Hoffman Estates. Marge is involved with the TLC Day Camp in Lombard for children with cancer.	Left: Breast cancer survivor & dress designer, Donna Maggos of Chicago, created one of her original gowns for Cindy. Donna was also on hand on the wedding day to help with nails. etc. Invitations, jewelry, tuxes --virtually every aspect of the wedding was provided by an individual from the Chicagoland community.

Above: Bryan's daughters Ashley (on left) and Allyssa were bridesmaids, along with their sisters, in the "rainbow" wedding.

Right: Heather Dahlstrom, Cindy's eldest daughter, gets her makeup done by Lori Ovitz, author of Facing the Mirror with Cancer, who provided makeup for the entire bridal party.

Above: Cindy's daughter, Jessica Dahlstrom, beams about her little bridesmaid cake doll. All 6 daughters stood up for the "rainbow" wedding and each got a special little cake to match their gowns, all made by Peggy. Jesse wears a lei provided to each attendant by Gail Jean Dudesek, a friend of Cindy & Bryan who dedicated a Polynesian dance to the couple. Jessica¹s hair was styled by Pagent of Scizzors Productions in Chicago.   Right: Ashley (left) and Jennelle Arneson light candles in the audience to the strains of "Songbird" by Fleetwood Mac

Above: Cindy's mom, Dorothy Nastrucci, was decked out in a dress provided by Olga Markoff with assistance from Marshall Fields' personal shopper, Kevin Gorsch. Dorothy's hairstyling was by Val Appler of Always in Style in Forest Park.

Above: Ed Poledziewsky of Floral Galleria in Arlington Hts. (on left) discusses cake decorations with Peggy Buck of Lombard, as her husband looks on. Peggy made the wedding cake and Ed provided all the florals for the wedding.

This generous group of individuals & businesses helped to fulfill the Arneson's Wedding Wish: