Woman planned for son to walk her down the aisle—but he never made it

Heartbreaking footage captured the moment a grieving mother walked down the aisle alone, after her son, who was supposed to walk alongside her, took his own life.

On August 22, 2026, Jasmine Fuller, 48, tied the knot in a beautiful outdoor ceremony. While weddings are usually emotional, Fuller, from Rhode Island, told Newsweek that hers was “one of the most complicated days” of her life because of what took place 11 months prior.

Fuller’s only child, Gianni Anthony Perfetto, took his own life on September 22, 2025, at the age of 24. Until then, Fuller was not even aware that her son was struggling with his mental health, making the grief even harder.

“I didn’t know that my son was hurting or the extent of what he was carrying,” Fuller said. “As a mother, that realization has been incredibly difficult. I’ve gone through memories and questioned myself so many times, wondering what I missed or what I could have done differently. But one of the things I’ve learned since Gianni’s death is that people can hide an enormous amount of pain, even from the people who love them most.”

Knowing that her son, who was so full of joy and vibrancy, was silently hurting was a devastating realization for Fuller.

Prior to his death, the plan was for Perfetto to walk his mom down the aisle for her wedding. It was going to be a beautiful moment between mother and son, but sadly, Perfetto would never make it to the ceremony.

Deciding to go through with the wedding was painstakingly difficult for Fuller, who would have given anything to have her son there.

She said: “Part of me questioned how I could celebrate something so important when my son wasn’t there to experience it. But going through with my wedding wasn’t choosing life without Gianni—it was choosing to carry Gianni with me into the life I still have.

“Walking the aisle alone was intentional as I wanted to acknowledge that my son should have been there. It represented the reality of having to take those steps forward without my son physically beside me. But emotionally, spiritually and in my heart, I was carrying him with me.”

Indeed, Fuller carried a charm with her son’s portrait in her bouquet, had “Walk with me today, Gianni” written on the soles of her shoes, and her custom wedding band features his birthstone. There was also a memorial chair at the front of the aisle where members of the wedding party placed roses.

As she knew how much her son loved music, Fuller ensured that all the songs which marked a significant moment throughout the wedding were one of Perfetto’s favorites.

Although he was not physically standing beside her, Fuller told Newsweek that Perfetto was “absolutely part of the wedding.”

Following her son’s death, Fuller has educated herself on grief, trauma, mental health and healing. She has done a grief education course, completed training in trauma-informed care, and spoken publicly about suicide prevention. While she cannot erase the past, Fuller hopes to ensure that her son’s death was not meaningless.

“I can’t change what happened to my son, but I can try to make sure something good comes from the life he lived,” Fuller said. “He wasn’t simply the way he died. He was a son, friend, family member and a young man with an entire future ahead of him.

“Since Gianni died, I’ve had to completely rebuild myself. I’ve educated myself, learned about mental health and suicide prevention, and started creating ideas for resources that could help others. I’ve also learned that you don’t stop loving your child because they’re gone. You simply have to find somewhere to put all that love, and I’m putting mine into helping others.”

Now, as a certified master grief coach, Fuller urges other parents to talk to their children and hear them out. Creating a relationship that does not make them feel judged or ashamed is vital for open communication.

She continues documenting her journey on social media (@girlwiththedragontat on Instagram) as she hopes to educate others and connect with fellow grieving parents who are trying to figure out how to survive when part of them is gone.

“Sometimes you can love your child with everything you have and still not know how much pain they are carrying,” Fuller said. “If you are struggling, please know that your pain doesn’t make you a burden. There are people who would rather sit beside you through your darkest moment than have to live the rest of their lives without you.”

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “988” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Marc Vargas and Emma Lee-Sang