Hayden found her match in Adrian and Skye found her match in Hayden.
(Video Credit: Joshua Bane)
While attending Auburn University in 2015, Hayden passed a donation table for “Be The match,” a national registry of volunteer bone marrow donors. Hayden had donated blood and platelets in the past so she decided to register with them. She knew it would be a minute chance of being a match for someone.
A year or two later, a love story began to blossom with a simple phone call to catch up with Adrian. He was stationed in Texas at that time.
To her surprise, almost a year after Hayden walked up to the table on the Auburn campus, she received a phone call from a coordinator with Be the Match. Hayden was a match for a baby girl with leukemia – Skye.
On May 5, 2017, Adrian proposed to Hayden and the wedding planning began.
Per Be the Match Policies, the two families (Hatfield-Ryals & Savren-McCormick) had to remain anonymous for a year. Hayden sent a letter through the organization to the family telling them how much helping their baby girl really helped her. Hayden really wanted to meet the baby girl and when she was able to learn her identity, she communicated through email, phone calls, and Facebook. For Skye’s birthday, Hayden sent a present along with an invitation for Skye to be her flower girl.
Skye faced many battles after the transplant including losing her spleen and developing lymphoma in her eyelid, neck, and back. Her mother described her as a hero and calls her “Warrior Skye” when being interviewed by Dothan Eagle’s, Peggy Ussery.
A few weeks before the wedding, the doctors cleared Skye to come to Alabama. Hayden and Adrian married on June 9, 2018, with Skye as their flower girl and friends and family attending.
DeeDee met Hayden through a family connection. DeeDee’s Husband, Doni, has worked alongside Hayden’s Mom, Lisa for several years at Ft Rucker US Army Post. DeeDee learned of Hayden’s beautiful act of kindness during their Bridal Shoot with Mark Broadway at Point Clear, AL.
We are so grateful to have been such a small part of this beautiful love story. Thank you to the Hatfields and Rylas Families for allowing us to be a part of your wedding day celebration.
Photography: Mark Broadway
Videography: Joshua Bane
Hair and Make-up: Team DeeDee
Flowers & Decor: Hartford Florist & Gifts
DJ: Joey Tripp DJ Services
Invitations: Enterprise Printing & Signs
Cakes: She’sCakes, Sweet Crumbs Confections
Catering: Melissa Clements Catering
(Photo Credit: Mark Broadway Photography)
Since the wedding, several news outlets across the US and Abroad have learned about this wonderful story. You can read the articles by clicking on each outlet…
