There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as the guests watched on while mother and son enjoyed the special moment together. Scooter put his head on his mother’s shoulder and made sure to hold on tight to her, as she was no longer able to support her own weight due to the advanced progress of the degenerative disease.

Scooter struggled to control his emotions, although he managed to hold it together for the dance before carefully lowering his mother to her chair. Knowing that they’ll be able to cherish the memory forever no doubt made the difficult performance worth it for the pair. The audience were clearly touched and applauded after the dance. Scooter and Terri aren’t the only ones who had this idea, as Zak Poirier also danced with his mother Kathy (who has ALS) at his wedding, which you can see below.

Scooter later shared the video of the beautiful dance to Facebook. It subsequently went viral, and after being shared on YouTube their dance has been viewed 7.1 million times on the platform. Unfortunately Terri passed away just ten days after the ceremony, surrounded by friends and family.

The video made a big impact on viewers at home, who added comments such as “In the first moments her baby boy was born she held him with so much love and protection and care, and in the moments where she could no longer stand, her baby boy held his momma and will hold her forever,” and “This moved me to tears, she sure raised an amazing man! Rest in the sweetest peace Terri. My heart goes out to all her family and friends.”

ALS is also known as motor neurone disease or Lou Gehrig’s disease. ALS is a rare and neurodegenerative disease that has no known cure. Over time, the terminal disease causes the loss of motor neurons that control voluntary muscles and even basic tasks become insurmountable. The life expectancy of people with ALS is typically two to four years from the onset of the disease, so Terri did well to make it to her son’s big day.

A loving son made his ALS-suffering mother’s final wish come true, by wheeling her onto the dance floor at his wedding and lifting her up for an emotional mother-son dance.

Terri Hightower, 57, from Clarksville, Tennessee, was diagnosed with the degenerative disease ALS – also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease – in December 2019 and by summer 2020, she could no longer walk.

But despite her ailing health, she dreamed of attending her son Scooter’s wedding on October 9 and was surprised when he organised a special mother-son dance for the two of them at the event.

Terri passed away just ten days later, with a clip of the emotional dance quickly going viral online as 10 million people tuned in to watch the special moment.

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The moment Scooter Hightower, from Tennessee, made his ALS-suffering mother Terri’s final wish come true byy wheeling her onto the dance floor at his wedding and lifting her up for an emotional mother-son dance has gone viral online

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The 57-year-old was diagnosed with the degenerative disease ALS – also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease – in December 2019 and by summer 2020, she could no longer walk

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Terri dreamed of attending her son Scooter’s wedding to his partner Afton, 25, in October 2020

Terri was unable to walk due to her degenerative disease by summer 2020 and attended her son’s wedding in a wheelchair

With friends and family gathered around the dance floor, Scooter and his family wheeled his mother’s wheelchair into the middle of the room.

As around 150 guests watched on, Scooter cued the music and, with the help of his father lifted his mother into his arms.

Guests standing around the edge of the dancefloor applauded as Scooter moved her gently and weeping on her shoulder.

He could be seen sobbing and whispering into his mother’s ear as he cradled her in his arms during the emotional dance.

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Scooter and Afton organised for a surprise mother-son dance at the wedding after Terri was diagnosed with ALS

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 The family said despite her diagnosis with the disease, Terri was still able to ‘feel every emotion possible’

The moment was captured on video by the wedding’s videographer, Neil Fox, and around the room, there was not a dry eye in the house – including Scooter’s wife, Afton, 25, who had helped with the surprise.

Terri died after losing her battle with the disease less than two weeks later,  surrounded by her friends and family.

Hoping to raise awareness for ALS, the family asked Neil to share the video on his Facebook page. The post has since been viewed nearly 10 million times.

Afton said of the response to the video: ‘We are amazed!

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Photographs from the wedding show Terri watching her son Scooter as he married Afton in a beautiful outdoors ceremony

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The mother-of-the-groom donned a floor length black gown for the occasion, where she posed for pictures with her husband

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The emotional surprise first dance between the mother and son quickly went viral after it was shared online

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Afton said the family had been ‘amazed’ by the response to the clip of her new husband dancing with his mother

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The couple said they hoped the emotional video clip from their wedding day would ‘bring more awareness’ to ALS

‘We can’t believe how much of an impact it is making around the world.

‘It is so amazing how many – hundreds, thousands even – have reached out to us showing their love and sympathy. Terri felt every emotion possible.

‘It was a very bittersweet moment, knowing that was her goal and knowing how much it meant to her and Scooter.

‘We hope this video can bring more awareness to ALS.’

Scooter and Afton went on to share the video clip of the dance online, and said the response had been ‘amazing’ after it was viewed nearly 10 million times

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Terri died after losing her battle with the disease less than two weeks after the wedding, surrounded by her friends and family