Weddings are full of surprises, but Jony Macapagal, 20, and her husband, Alistair Lee, 20, pulled off one that no one saw coming.
It wasn’t a quirky dance or a dazzling fireworks display. Instead, they shocked their guests by shaving their heads at their own wedding. And the reason behind it is heartwarming.
After Saying "I Do," The Couple Shocked Everyone
When Jony and Alistair tied the knot at the Allely Estate in Kumeu, New Zealand, their guests were ready for a traditional Filipino dance, as is common at weddings. But this couple had something far more meaningful planned.
After their first dance, the DJ announced that they’d be shaving their heads — in solidarity with Jony's mom, Luna, who had been bravely fighting stage 4 ovarian cancer for three years. What might have been an ordinary wedding transformed into a deeply moving moment of unity, love, and support.
As Alistair sat down for Jony to shave his head, the room was a mix of laughter and tears. The surprise didn't end there — Alistair then took the clippers and shaved his bride’s head too. It was a powerful statement about their support for Luna and anyone battling cancer.
From Childhood Friends to Lifelong Partners: They Met When They Were Just 5 Years Old
Jony and Alistair's journey together began way before their wedding day. They met as children and went to the same school, sharing years of memories. After dating for three years, Alistair proposed to Jony in the beautiful Auckland Botanical Gardens. Of course, he made sure to ask Luna's permission first, showing the deep respect and love he had for Jony’s family.
Their unique proposal set the tone for a wedding filled with love and compassion. The couple's decision to shave their heads wasn’t just a touching tribute — it was a continuation of the bond and solidarity that had grown over their lifetime together.
Watch Jony Macapagal and Alistair Lee's Video:
The Bride Never Wanted To Go Viral
When Jony and Alistair shaved their heads at their wedding, it was meant as a private gesture to comfort Luna, who felt insecure about losing her hair during chemotherapy. Tragically, Luna passed away two months after the wedding, leaving the couple and their family devastated. However, what they didn’t expect was the attention their heartfelt act would receive.
Their goal wasn't to go viral but to show Luna she wasn't alone. Despite their intentions, the story spread like wildfire, catching the world's attention. Some detractors claimed it was just for show, but Jony and Alistair explained that they hadn’t shared any footage — their wedding photographer had posted it, leading to its viral spread.
Their Family Never Expected So Much Love and Support
Jony and Alistair's story resonated with people worldwide, triggering an outpouring of love and support. Jony shared on Instagram how grateful her family was for the positive response. What began as a personal tribute to her mother grew into a global expression of empathy and compassion. The couple never anticipated the momentum their story would gain, but they were grateful for the connections it created.
"My family and I have been overwhelmed with the response we've gotten from our wedding tribute to mummy. I know for a fact my mummy would have loved to give you all a big hug. She would love to let you know you are not alone and to stay strong."
Jony Macapagal
Jony explained that although their donations page has since closed, the funds raised were donated to Cancer Society New Zealand. For those interested in donating, she encourages supporting any organization that has positively impacted your family.
The couple's experience shows that even the smallest gestures of kindness can make a big difference, and love can come from the most unexpected places.If this story touched your heart, you can donate here.
For a Happier and Healthier Life, Stop Judging Others
"I have nothing personal against her, but I think she is quite unprofessional."
That’s how I used to feel about an ex-colleague. And I wasn’t the only one. I was surrounded by people who thought the same. We were irritated by the way this girl used to work according to her own rules, yet get promoted before any of us.
When I think of it now, I think I wasted my time and energy. Why? Well, has judging her altered my life positively? If it has, I can’t recall any of these changes. I can only recall that it made me angry, irritated, and jealous. It disturbed my focus. It took my peace away. And I know that had I had put all that energy on my own work, I would have done better at my job.
For a Happier and Healthier Life, Stop Judging Others
Judging others, especially for things that do not concern you, only ever makes things worse. But how to avoid it? For many of us, judging is ingrained in our system. We judge everyone, from a stranger in the street, to a co-worker, to our political leaders, and usually without having all the information.
It's admittedly not easy to suppress the urge. But if I show you how it unsettles your life, you will be more determined to flush it out of your system once and for all.
Judging others makes you lose friends
What do you look for in a good friend?
Compassion. Understanding. Support.
But your readiness to judge leads to the opposite of all these things.
I once dated a guy who my best friend thought wasn't a good match for me. Whenever I would talk to her about him, she would subconsciously look for the negative. Eventually, I didn’t feel like sharing anything about him with her anymore, because I knew that if I told her how happy I was, she wouldn't share in my joy. And if I told her about a little fight we'd had, she would find all the reasons in the world to try to pit me against him.
The fact was that she never tried to know more about him. She never asked any questions. She never showed any interest. And yet, she felt she had the right to judge!
This could be any of us. We judge without even thinking sometimes. And this eagerness to cast judgement builds a nasty wall between friends.
When you judge others, you can't learn from them
Judgement is often derived from jealousy. We judge to console our mind that the person we see as competition is worse, or at least no better than us.
You might have a work colleague who is a favorite with the boss. You know they work hard. You know they deserve the attention. You might accept that. But you might still look for their flaws, and try to find the areas where you're better than them.
"She dresses like a geek. She is a bore. She has no social life."
But is that good for you?
Or is it better to acknowledge her strengths, and learn from her? You might be better at some things. But she is definitely better at others. So stop comparing yourself to others. You won’t gain any points for proving you are better than someone, but you can better your life by learning from others.
When you judge, you are less open to new experiences
Our opinions are often based on our past experiences. We tend to believe that what worked for us must work for others, just as what proved wrong for us must also prove the same for others. The problem is that after a few experiences, people believe they know it all and have earned the right to judge.
There is this phenomena called the Dunning-Kruger effect, where a person develops an illusory superiority in their mind. They become overconfident about their abilities and think lowly of others. The person who behaves this way is defined as cognitively biased and is considered to possess lower abilities.
Sure, your experiences equip you to offer sensible advice. You might have learned valuable lessons from them. But there are billions of people in the world, all with different experiences. And while there might be some commonalities, every experience is somewhat individual-specific.
The important part is to be humble. Think about this: if you have learnt so much from your own experiences, imagine how much more you can learn from others’?
Judging others damages your health and happiness
Still not convinced? Check this out: A study out of the University of Nebraska supported the belief that negative perceptions of others can boost narcissism and antisocial behavior. Wood said, "The simple tendency to see people negatively indicates a greater likelihood of depression and various personality disorders."
Then just why must you?
I know it's hard to shut down the negative voices all at once. As I said earlier, the instinct to judge is ingrained in our system. Chucking it at once is unrealistic.
So, go slowly. Make it a point to think at least once before forming an opinion of someone. Learn more about your own emotional patterns. Just don’t give up. Before you know it, you'll have stopped the toxic habit in its tracks. And you'll be a jolly positive person because of it!