Couple Renews Vows at Silverado Fort Worth

Silverado Fort Worth recently hosted a special vow renewal ceremony for our resident, Dan Olson, and his wife, Claire. Dan, who has vascular dementia, had been living at Silverado for a year when Claire decided she wanted to renew their vows and bring their family and friends out to be a part of it.

This is where Silverado stepped in.

Our Silverado team, headed by Stephanie our Director of Resident Engagements, planned a beautiful ceremony at our Fort Worth community. Steve Roland, Silverado Hospice Dallas Chaplain, pushed Dan down the aisle and during the ceremony, Dan put his arm around Claire and held her hand. The pastor of their church officiated, and two musicians from the church performed “The Wedding Song,” which was sung at their wedding in 1994. 

After the ceremony, Claire told the guests about Dan’s amazing life. Dan obtained two engineering degrees and an MBA, was a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, worked for 16 years as a commissioned Coast Guard officer, and spent 22 years at Caterpillar Inc. Dan spent his last 13 years with Caterpillar at the company’s European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, traveling through Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East as the company’s liaison. After he retired, he moved back to the U.S. and volunteered as a emergency medical technician, firefighter, business counselor and hospice volunteer.

“I’ve been devastated watching the disease rob my Dan of his mind and his ability to function,” Claire said. “But there’s one thing this disease won’t take from him, his heart. I see it in his eyes and his face. There are many things he can’t do anymore, but Dan can still love, and he shows me every day.”