A Mother’s Last Dance With Her Son

by Frank Somerville (Evening Anchor at KTVU)

“This is one of the most beautiful pictures I’ve ever seen. It’s also one of the most heartbreaking pictures I’ve ever seen, because of what happened just 72 hours later.”

This is Ryan Manning dancing with his mother Mary Ann Manning at his wedding earlier this month.

He says simply: “It was very special.”

The reason it was so special is because three years ago Mary Ann was diagnosed with breast cancer. And in the past few months her condition got so bad that she was confined to a wheelchair.

But there was ONE thing she was determined to do. She was determined to dance with her son at his wedding.

And this is a picture of the two of them as they slowly swayed back and forth to the song, “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”

Ryan says: “”I think that everybody kind of realized what they were seeing. And what they were seeing was an incredibly strong woman doing a magnificent thing. A miracle, I think.”

Mary Ann’s daughter Karie said: “It was incredibly emotional, especially to see her pop out of the wheelchair. (During) the days leading up to it, we were helping her do everything, even walk, and to see her just jump up, it was amazing.”

Mary Ann literally used all her strength to live long enough to dance with her son. It was almost as if the wedding kept her alive. Because unfortunately just three days later she died.

Her daughter Kristie says: “To have this moment to cherish and to relive through the video, we’re so happy. And (we’re so) happy to share that story with other people. For other people to know what an amazing woman she was. We’re so, so lucky to call her our mother.”

Here’s the video below of their dance if you’d like to watch it:

A mother’s love endures all others. Ryan will feel her love for the rest of his life.

Funeral Service will be held in the Chapel at St. Elizabeth Seton, 4001 Stoneridge Drive in Pleasanton on Saturday, September 20 at 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary Ann’s name to Hope Hospice (6377 Clark Ave #100 in Dublin or Sandra J. Wing Healing Therapies Foundation located at 1807 Santa Rita Road D-182 in Pleasanton.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, CA for their support in her final days.

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