In a stunning viral wedding video, famous parent Al Jones sang just in honor of his daughter instead of signing the vows. When Heartland’s country smash “I Loved Her First” was signed, Al Jones’ wedding speech moved his daughter to tears. The poignant film, recorded by Always Hope Creative’s Andrew Stevens in 2019, has gone viral on YouTube, with millions of views and dozens of heartfelt comments.
Al Jones paused before playing his sign language song to reflect on the horrific car tragedy that his daughter Ali Kilman had survived just two years before her wedding. Ali escaped the disaster largely unscathed, but due to her injuries, she was unable to talk; her loved ones pushed her to attempt communicating with them using American Sign Language.
Most families need time to learn a new language, and it takes significantly longer when there is a traumatic event involved. Despite Ali’s “pretty good” American Sign Language abilities, her family was entirely perplexed by her messages, as revealed in her father’s wedding speech. To compensate, Ali retreated from ASL and began interacting with her parents by writing on a whiteboard.
Ali’s wedding was in October 2019. The bride, who was born in Ashland, Kentucky, sparkled in her white wedding gown and fought back tears as her father described her accident, which left “her jaws wired shut, with tubes down her throat.” He went center stage as Heartland’s touching country classic began, and his tone changed as he told his daughter, “I’ve been practicing my sign language, Ali.” He then handed her the original whiteboard, which she had used to communicate following the accident.
While her father penned the lyrics to a song he had written specifically for her, Ali Kilman sobbed hysterically as soon as Al Jones signed the ASL entrance music. As he sees his daughter leave with another man, the father sings, “I knew the love of a father runs deep, and I prayed that she’d find you someday, but it’s still hard to give her away.” This poignant country hit from 2006 by Heartland is an excellent companion.
