Bride beams as she is escorted down the aisle by the man who received her murdered dad’s heart

AN ecstatic bride beams as she is escorted down the aisle by the man who received her late dad's heart.

Jeni Stepien’s father Michael was killed by a mugger ten years ago but she wanted him at her big day.

She invited Arthur Thomas, who received his donated heart, to give her away in Pennsylvania, US.

Arthur said: "I was on death's door when he was murdered, and I needed a heart or I was going to be dying in the next few days."

After writing Arthur a letter, Jeni met him on the eve of her wedding and felt her father's heart beat for the first time in ten years.

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She said: "I was just so thankful that my dad could be here with us today in spirit and a piece of his physical being as well.

"That was really special for us."

Arthur said he could not imagine a greater honour than escorting the daughter of the man who gave him his heart.

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The groom, Paul Maenner, said he was "overtaken with emotions" when he saw Jeni and Arthur walking down the aisle.