Becoming a stepfather was an emotional transition for a Detroit groom as he prepared for the lifelong commitment during his wedding ceremony last summer.
Dontez Williams, 33, delivered the heartfelt vows to the two girls who would become his stepdaughters if they accepted his proposal as their legal father, Fox News reported.
The heartwarming moment was captured on camera moments before Williams married his beautiful bride, 26-year-old Myshella Burton.
Williams revealed to the news outlet that it was vital for him to include Burton’s daughters — Abigaile and Natalie — in the ceremony since he has been an essential part of their lives for seven years.
The 33-year-old recalled meeting the girls when they were infants and appeared to have shown their approval of Williams early in the relationship with Burton. As a result, the couple now believes the girl’s positive reaction to their stepfather signifies that they were “destined” to be together.
Williams was trying to think of ways to make the day memorable for the girls just days before their Aug. 13 wedding in Detroit, Michigan.
He settled on proposing to adopt Abigaile, 9, and Natalie, 8, after realizing he was “kind of like the only father-figure they had ever really had.”
Williams added, “Just the thought of me writing the vows for them, it made me want to tear up. When I felt that emotion just thinking about it, I was like, ‘I got to do this. This is the right decision. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it.'”
After sharing the idea with his co-workers, Williams received positive feedback and continued his plans. He managed to keep the secret from his family and alerted the wedding officiate at the wedding rehearsal.
Williams penned the adoption proposal while highlighting a few memorable moments he shared with Abigaile and Natalie, including the time he spent with them at Abigaile’s birthday party.
“I’ll never forget the way Abigail looked at me. It was priceless,” Williams said. “It really meant a lot to me seeing her face light up.”
While delivering the vows, Williams noted the girls’ confused look on their faces since his routine was different from what occurred during the rehearsal. After listening to their soon-to-be stepfather’s thoughtful words, the girls started to tear up.
Williams explained that Burton was also taken aback at the proposal as they all stood at the altar as a family.
“Myshella was really shocked, but she was happy and just thankful for me stepping up,” he added. “She was really happy that I feel that way for them and said she’s grateful to have me in their lives.”
The couple met on the dating website Plenty of Fish. In 2017, they got engaged and initially talked about getting married in 2020. However, their wedding plans were postponed until the following year due to the pandemic.
Williams, a Cleveland, Ohio native, moved to Detroit more than 20 years ago. He is a case manager at Starfish Family Services, where he works with children from ages 6 to 16.
Before switching to obstetrics, Burton worked in the medical field as a surgical technologist. She now works in a birthing center where she helps women deliver babies.
