Brother Surprises Older Sister With Down Syndrome With Request To Be Maid Of Honor At His Wedding

Dec 12, 2022 by apost team

There’s nothing quite like the bond between siblings, and model Chris Garafola and his sister, Brittany, exemplify just how beautiful such strong ties are.

Since his youth, Chris, now in his 30s, has always looked up to his sister, who is two years older than him. What makes their relationship extra special is the fact that Brittany has Down syndrome. But that hasn’t stopped Chris from forming an extraordinary and incredibly loving connection with his older sister.

The two grew up in Vermont and, for all of their lives, have loved and cherished each other. In a throwback post on Instagram, Chris recounted their school days alongside a sweet picture of the two of them together while writing a touching tribute to her in the caption. 

“She overcame many obstacles and plenty of adversity; and always with a smile,” he wrote of her graduating high school at the age of 22. He also touched on his sadness about how people with Down syndrome aren’t treated equally in society.

“Despite all of the joy, the nostalgia of Brittany’s years in school also bring with it a heavy heart. I think about how our society treated/still treat those with varying abilities. … Childhood definitely wasn’t always rainbows & butterflies, but I never for even a second wish I had anybody else as a sister than the gift God gave to me and our family,” he wrote. ⁣

It’s clear how much Chris loves his sister. So in the run-up to his wedding in 2021, he knew he wanted to not only have Brittany by his side, but he also wanted to ensure she played a key role that represented just how much she means to him.

Chris met the woman he was going to marry, Tatiana, and was instantly touched by how much she understood and celebrated his unbreakable bond with his sister. He told People:

“The moment Tatiana and I started dating, I explained to her that Brittany and I would always be a package deal. Luckily for me, she said that she wouldn't have it any other way — she loves Brittany with every fiber of her being, too.”

Their romantic relationship blossomed, and soon, they were set to walk down the aisle. However, the pandemic threw a few wrenches in their plans. The couple decided to wait until Brittany received her Covid-19 vaccine before proceeding with their plans. When she finally got her shot in March 2021, the pair were ready. However, they had a surprise for Brittany. They decided they wanted Brittany to be the maid of honor at the wedding and wanted to capture her reaction to the request on film. In the video, Tatiana asked Brittany if she would do them the honor, and the excitement was clear as she ecstatically accepted. 

“Seeing how excited and moved she got, reinforced how much she truly loves us,” Chris said. “I don't know how I got this lucky having Brittany as my sister — I just love her so much.”

The couple married in an intimate ceremony surrounded by close friends and family in April 2021, and later the same year, in October, they surprised Brittany again with a “Cool aunt” T-shirt in their pregnancy reveal. Despite starting a family of his own, Chris said his love for his sister and their beautiful bond would never change, no matter what.

“She's been my best friend since day one and even once I'm married, it won't change.”

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How endearing is Chris and Brittany’s bond with each other? Do you share a similar relationship with your siblings? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to them and other family members and friends, too.