KUALA LUMPUR: In a deeply emotional moment, Daniel Probola, the husband of the late Nur Farah Ashykin Mohd Saleh, was the sole figure on the bridal dais during a wedding reception organised by his wife's family on Jan 13.
The couple could not proceed with their planned wedding reception on Dec 30 due to health challenges.
Daniel's brother-in-law, Mohd Sharil Fahmi Mohd Saleh, said the couple had tied the knot in Japan during the Covid-19 season and planned to hold a wedding reception in Malaysia.
Unfortunately, he said his sister died on Jan 7 due to lymphoma cancer.
"It was indeed a sad moment when he (Daniel) put on the wedding attire and sat alone on the bridal dais during the ceremony," Sharil Fahmi told Harian Metro.
He said the ceremony, held at his mother's house in Telok Panglima Garang, Kuala Langat, Selangor, was more about creating memories for his late sister's husband about the Malay wedding culture and customs, besides fulfilling Nur Farah's unfulfilled wish.
"Daniel was fine with being alone (on the dais). We surprised him with a small gift exchange and a 'tepung tawar' ceremony.
"We do this to celebrate my sister's husband and to introduce him to our relatives whom he hadn't met yet," Shahril Fahmi said.
He added that the family did not want to project sadness during the event, which could make Daniel feel sad, too.
A video capturing the emotional moment of Daniel, dressed in emerald green wedding attire on the empty bridal dais, went viral on TikTok, garnering 1.2 million views.
Another video, shared by the owner of a bridal boutique, showed Daniel trying on the wedding attire ordered by his late wife, adding to the heartfelt attention the story received.