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A grandpa who beat cancer to make the birth of his first grandchild fought back tears of joy when he discovered his newborn grandson had been named after him. Leigh-Kathryn Bonner, from Raleigh, North Carolina, said her dad Edward's cancer diagnosis meant he wasn't supposed to live past 18 months. But now, five years later and with her dad cancer-free, Leigh-Kathryn planned a big surprise for him following the birth of her son. The 32-year-old is extremely close to her dad, and she and her husband Jeremy, 33, wanted to break the sweet news to Edward following the birth of their first child. After a 39-hour long labor, Leigh-Kathryn first welcomed her mom, Gayle, into the room, as Edward was running an errand. As Gayle held her newborn grandson, Leigh-Kathryn thought of ways to break the news to her father when he arrived – only to then be presented with the perfect opportunity. As Edward entered the room, Gayle joked she wasn't letting go of her beloved grandson and so her husband couldn't have him. With Edward smiling at the joke, Leigh-Kathryn then asked her father, "You may not be able to have him, but would you be willing to share your name with him?" At that moment, everything clicked for Edward, who Leigh-Kathryn said never cries. The 67-year-old immediately welled up, fighting back tears as he looked at his first grandchild, Oakley Edward Wall.
Transcript
00:00Grandpa Edward was told he'd never see this moment.
00:02Dad, you might not be able to have him, but would you be willing to share your name with him?
00:07Yeah. Is that his middle name?
00:09Edward's cancer diagnosis meant he wasn't supposed to live past 18 months.
00:14But after beating the odds, his pregnant daughter,
00:16Lee Catherine, had a special surprise.
00:19After 39 long hours, little Oakley entered the world.
00:23His grandma wouldn't let him go.
00:24Okay, Edward.
00:27Leading to the question that unlocked a lifetime of emotion.
00:30Dad, you might not be able to have him, but would you be willing to share your name with him?
00:36Yeah. Is that his middle name?
00:37Oh, what is his middle name?
00:39Edward.
00:39Edward.
00:40Oh!
00:41Oh!
00:41Oh!
00:42Oh!
00:42Oh!
00:43Oh!
00:43Oh!
00:44Oh!
00:44Oh!
00:45Oh!
00:45Oh!
00:46Oh!
00:47Oh!
00:48Oh!
00:48Oh!
00:49Oh!
00:49Oh!
00:50Oh!
00:51Oh!
00:51Oh!
00:52Oh!
00:53Oh!
00:53Oh!
00:54Edward is her hero.
00:55We look big.
00:58And him being here to be one of Oakley Edwards' grandpas is a true gift.

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