Quebec Cree couple put together a hospital wedding in 24 hours

Longtime sweethearts Gordon Mianscum, 52, and Nancy Capassisit, 40, of Ouje-Bougamau, Que., got married in a hospital last weekend, within hours of finally deciding to tie the knot.

Mianscum, who has been in and out of the hospital since February, was diagnosed with bladder cancer in October, and it's spreading rapidly. He's not expected to leave the hospital in North Bay, Ont.

​A paraplegic since a car accident at the age of 13, he is also struggling with bed sores, abscesses and two open wounds as a result of a surgery.

"Late Friday night at midnight, he just decided he wanted to get married," said Capassisit.

She asked him when, and he replied "Wiipach:" "soon" in Cree.

Mianscum and Capassisit have been together for 24 years and have two children.

Following his Friday midnight proposal, their family ran around Saturday getting everything ready.

"We told them we didn’t want a big wedding," said Capassisit. "We told them they just needed the rings and the pastor." 

Their wedding rings were a gift from their family, after a promise made many years ago. Capassisit went out and bought a dress on Saturday while Mianscum spoke to one of her sisters to contact the pastor for the wedding.

The ceremony took place that Sunday in the chapel of the North Bay Regional Health Centre. Capassisit says it took her an hour to get ready.

​Mianscum loves hockey, so the family decorated the chapel in a Boston Bruins theme: black, gold and white. When the ceremony was finished, his sister Kitty Mianscum yelled out, "Go Bruins, go! Go Bruins, go!"

"I have a new feeling," said Capassisit, when asked how she feels after their wedding vows.

"I have been with Gordon for 24 years but I am just sad knowing he will not be around long."