A Wedding Made Possible by Love, Community and Compassion

After 18 years together, Lecia and Tony Miles had long dreamed of getting married. Life, as it often does, brought reasons to wait until Lecia, at age 64, was diagnosed with breast cancer. While speaking with her Mercy Health Hospice by Compassus hospice team in Paducah, KY, Lecia shared a deeply personal wish: she wanted to marry Tony and make that dream a reality.

Her care team listened and took that wish to heart.

With the support of Lecia’s daughter, Robyn, and the collective care of her hospice team, plans for a wedding came together in just two weeks. On a beautiful day in their backyard, surrounded by love, Lecia and Tony were married in front of more than 50 family members and close friends.

Family traveled from near and far to be there for the moment. Robyn and her family came in from Florida, Lecia’s son Ryan traveled with his family from Georgia and additional loved ones arrived from across Tennessee—all to celebrate a day that meant everything.

With support from the Compassus Living Foundation, Lecia’s special day included a bouquet of flowers, a wedding cake and cupcakes, and her requested meal from Rafferty’s. Friends and family stepped in with incredible generosity, providing a tent for the ceremony, floral décor, tables and chairs, hair and makeup, a professional photographer, and the perfect pink dress for Lecia to marry Tony in.

It was, by all accounts, exactly the day Lecia hoped for.

We believe hospice care is about more than managing symptoms—it’s about honoring what matters most. For Lecia, that meant love, family and a promise fulfilled. Her wedding was a powerful reminder that even in life’s most challenging seasons, moments of joy, connection and meaning are still possible.

We are grateful to have been part of Lecia and Tony’s story and to the Paducah team whose compassion made this day unforgettable.