A dad tragically died just moments after dancing with his daughter at her wedding
Tim Buchanan, 54, a detective with the York County Sheriff’s Department in Rock Hill, South Carolina, had a heart attack just minutes after his father-daughter dance and passed away.
The 54-year-old had travelled to Costa Rica with wife Jeni for the wedding of their daughter Michele Howard.
And on Monday Tim’s devastated wife, a wedding photographer, posted a heartbreaking note on Facebook to let friends know of their devastating loss, alongside the last photo that was taken of her and Tim together, just moments before the wedding was due to take place.
It read: “You never know when the last time will be the last time!
“Tim came into my life at a time when I was broken to the core and held me up and built me into a strong person. Over the years we raised four amazing children, cared for my little brothers when they needed us the most and had even had the honor of a beautiful grandchild.
“He was the most beautiful soul I have ever known and I will never be the same without him. I know he loved me and our family.
“I am so very grateful for this image of us that our dear friends Kelly Rae Stewart and her husband snuck during our daughter’s wedding yesterday. Little did I know just a few hours later we would lose him.”
A friend and fellow wedding photographer created a GoFundMe page where people have far raised more than $12,000 in just two days for the grieving family.
“Jeni and Tm were so excited to head to Costa Rica a few days ago for their daughter’s wedding. If you know Jeni, you know how much Tim means to her and how wonderful the love is that they share,” Jenn Lewis, the creator of the GoFundMe page, wrote.
Police officers, family and close friends will gather Sunday at the home of Buchanan’s family to have a private fellowship service. Deputies are wearing black bands around badges today in honor of Buchanan.