Hospital Ophir Loyola holds first wedding in the ICU
The ceremony moved family members and staff by celebrating a 45-year union marked by faith, care, and overcoming challenges
On Thursday (27), Hospital Ophir Loyola held the first wedding ever celebrated inside the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The moment marked the union of Ezequiel Tavares da Silva and Heloisa Helena de Nazaré Gonçalves, who have been together for 45 years and are parents of five children. The couple had scheduled the religious ceremony for the same day but had to postpone their plans after the patient presented an infectious condition three days prior, being admitted to the ICU. Ezequiel has prostate neoplasia with bone metastasis and is undergoing oncological follow-up.
Given the clinical instability and the impossibility of transferring him to another area of the hospital, the multidisciplinary team mobilized to create a special environment within the ICU, allowing the couple to experience the dream of a religious wedding that had been planned for so many years.
The HOL Board highlighted the relevance of such actions. According to the institution, "providing this moment means respecting the couple's life story, recognizing the emotional and symbolic dimensions that are also part of the patient's and their family's experience. Gestures like this reaffirm the hospital's commitment to humanizing care, addressing emotional needs in situations of great clinical fragility."
The Technical and Assistential Superintendent of Hospital Ophir Loyola, Cássia Watrin, who participated in the celebration representing the board, reinforced the institution's commitment to sensitivity in care. "This wedding represents much more than a religious act. It represents dignity, respect, and love. The team spared no effort to make this dream come true, even within a high-complexity environment. This is how we reaffirm the essence of humanization: looking at the patient beyond the disease," she emphasized.
"It was God who did everything" — says the emotional wife
Deeply moved, Heloísa described the moment as the realization of a dream postponed for decades. She recounts that, even after 46 years together, four children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, she recently felt that "it was time to get married."
"We have been living together for so long, but God touched my heart that I needed to marry him. Our wedding was scheduled to be tomorrow, at home. But God made everything so beautifully that it ended up being here," she said.
Upon arriving at the ICU for the ceremony, Heloísa described the strong emotion: "When I entered with my son and saw everything prepared... it was wonderful. I felt God's presence very strongly. I never imagined it would be like this. I realized a dream that I had left behind without noticing."
The ceremony included makeup, bouquet, decoration, and emotional vows. "I can only thank. God bless each person here. Working in a place like this is only for those who are used by God," she concluded.
Nursing mobilized: "It was unexpected, but very special"
Nurse Girlene Quingosta, who participated in the organization, recalls that everything started with a simple request: a wheelchair to try to take the patient to the hospital chapel. However, on medical advice, it became unfeasible to remove him from the ICU.
From there, the mobilization began. "It was the first time we organized a wedding here. Nursing has this welcoming perspective, this 'way' of trying to provide something good, even in difficult situations. We gathered materials, talked to the event coordination, and managed to set up a beautiful and dignified environment for the couple," she recalled.
For her, participating in the moment was significant: "Working in the ICU is dealing daily with pain, insecurity, and challenges. So, when we can bring joy to a family, even in small gestures, it has immense value. Knowing that we contributed to something so significant is an honor."
The wedding of Ezequiel and Heloisa will be recorded in the hospital's history as the first ceremony ever held inside the ICU, showing that even in the most delicate scenarios, care can and should include sensitivity, faith, and humanity.
