Bride's dream of walking down aisle made possible

SAN ANTONIO – Vanessa Pedraza Alviso always dreamed of having her father walk her down the aisle, and on Thursday her dream came true, thanks to KSAT’s Community Holiday Helper.

After Alviso’s cousin, Maria Ledesma, submitted Alviso's story, she was selected as a finalist.

"I'm so ecstatic," Alviso said on Thursday. "I'm over-the-moon excited."

"I'm very excited. I thought this day would never come,” said Jason Alviso, Vanessa Pedraza Alviso’s husband.

Vanessa and Jason Alviso have been together for 14 years.

"The moment I saw her, I really wanted to meet her," Jason Alviso said. "I went up to her and I presented myself like a gentleman."

Almost five years ago, after their son was born, Vanessa Alviso was diagnosed with cancer.

Even though Vanessa and Jason Alviso have been married for 13 years, they never had a chance to celebrate their marriage with family and friends.

"My dream since I was a little girl was to be walked down the aisle by my dad to marry the man of my dreams," Vanessa Alviso said.

Ledesma wanted to make her cousin's dream come true, so she nominated Vanessa Alviso for our Holiday Helper.

"She continues to struggle, to fight and overcome everything that's come her way," Ledesma said. "I think she is more than deserving of what is happening today, and she, in my eyes, will always be my hero."

"I was supposed to go into remission in November," Vanessa Alviso said. "They found a new finding in my heart and we're in the process of trying to figure out what route we're going to take with that."

But as the Alvisos plan for what's next, they are enjoying each moment with each other.

"I'm so blessed to be here, and it's so amazing," Vaness Alviso said. "I feel like it's all a dream, but I'm so, so thankful and grateful for everyone that's been a big part of this day to give us our dream."

The KSAT12 Community partners include Security Service Federal Credit Union, Corner Store and University Health System. Some local businesses stepped up to help make Vanessa's dream come true. We'd like to thank them for their help as well. Those business include:

"We wanted to help be a part of it," said Mark Williams, director of communications with the Southwest School of Art. "And it was a lovely occasion and we're proud to be a contributor."