A Taiwanese man has arranged a wedding ceremony between him and his girlfriend who was tragically killed during a road accident along with their unborn child.
Tsai Shangzhen, 30, put a bridal veil and a wedding ring on his late partner in front of family and friends during the funeral of Chen Yichi, who died in August at the age of 24, according to Taiwan media.
Mr Tsai, a truck driver, told Taiwan-based Apple Daily that he wanted to keep his promise and give a long-dreamt wedding to Ms Chen, even if she had passed away.
Tsai Shangzhen, from Changhua, Taiwan, arranged a wedding ceremony between him and his late girlfriend on September 5 as he sent off his partner of five years
Ms Chen, a nurse, was said to be killed during a crash in late August as she rode her motorbike back home from work.
She had dated Mr Tsai for five years and was five months pregnant when the accident occurred.
According to Apple Daily Taiwan, Ms Chen’s funeral took place on September 6 in Changhua county, near Taichung city.
In a TV interview after the emotional ceremony, Mr Tsai told a reporter that he and his girlfriend had planned to have their engagement ceremony this month.
Footage of the ceremony has been televised by various media outlets in Taiwan, including CTV News and EBC.
Mr Tsai and his girlfriend had dated for five years and she was five months pregnant
He put flowers, a bridal veil and a wedding ring on his late partner in front of friends and family
Friends and family weep as they bid farewell to Mr Tsai’s girlfriend during the special ceremony
According to the footage, Mr Tsai decorated the mourning hall in pink with heart-shaped balloons and pre-wedding photos of him and Ms Chen.
Friends and families attended the ceremony with mixed feelings, stated the media.
Mr Tsai put on a wedding ring onto Ms Chen’s hand to complete the ceremony.
Speaking in an interview with CTV News, Mr Tsai recalled the day of the fatal accident.
‘I called [her] a few times and she didn’t pick up the phone. She had never been like this before. Then I ran out and found her crashed scooter.’
The TV stations also released news footage of the car crash, which took place on August 26. The footage shows Ms Chen being put onto an ambulance by a stretcher.
One paramedic said: ‘She has cracks on her skull and she lost her consciousness.’
The pregnant woman died later on the day along with the unborn child.
Mr Tsai said he considered the ceremony as a way to honour his dead girlfriend, whose pictures continue to appear on his social media page.
Ms Chen’s family were apparently moved by Mr Tsai’s devotion. Ms Chen’s sister told a reporter she was ‘very touched’ by the special ceremony.