Fighter (Anthony Rizzo)

Wedding Day

Anthony

November 18th, 2017.

Chicago, Illinois

4:03 pm

Lurie Garden, Millennium Park

Today is a beautiful, a nice sunny day with a few fluffy clouds in the sky. I stand at the alter with my groomsmen behind me, surrounded by people I've come to love. My family and hers sit side by side, Cam's mom sniffles a few times and my mom comforts her even thou her herself want exactly stable either. Michael and his family sit behind them, his wife wearing a bright smile. All the chairs were filled except for one, Cam insisted Mr. Maxwell had a spot because he's a big reason she is here today. The isle had pedals on it as Dexters baby girl brilliantly threw them down the isle. I look across from me to see Bri staring at me, she made this whole wedding possible and she did a damn good job. The months of planning and all the phone calls and she actually pulled it off.

The music starts and everyone quietly raises to their feet. I prepare myself the best I can for I knew what was coming next. Kris pats my shoulder from behind me and I let out a long breath. Here we go.

Cam appears with her dad on her arm and the tears were instant. Only the strongest feelings come pouring out of me, but none stronger than love. Just looking at her assured me that this life was worth living. I wipe away the tears before my breath hitches so bad I pass out up here. She wore a strapless dress the had beautiful beading at the top and a sheer sleeveless top part. There was a red strap around her waist as it flowed out and too the floor from there. Her long long hair was curled and pinned up but still fell down her body. She wore little white flowers in her hair along with the vail over her face. Her piercing blue eyes meet my deep brown ones as she slowly makes her way down the isle. I didn't want this moment to end, but eventually her dad kisses her cheek and she takes her place next to me. She brings her hand up and softly wipes a tear away. All I wanted to do was pick her up and run away with her, but I also wanted to make her my wife so I went with that instead. The pastor talks but I become lost in her eyes. I see everything I've ever wanted in life, but only with her. I see the hurt she went through to get here and the triumph that followed. I see her hopes and aspirations along with the strength she had in order to achieve that. And most importantly I see the best parts of me that I didn't even realize for the longest time. I'm snapped out of my thoughts when it comes time for vows and I clear me throat.

"Fighter, noun. A person who does not easily admit defeat in spite of difficulties or opposition. You faced the hardest difficulties and the meanest opposition in the world, and beat it twice. Cancer and everything that came along with it, you were able to overcome it all.

Life is made up of precious moments but you have this knack for making those little things seem like the best moments of my life. You always want to see the best in me, even when I'm blinded by the media or the game. Without you there's no World Series champion Anthony Rizzo, it would just be Tony. The guy who is stuck between a dream and a reality. You made my dreams a reality, you became my dreams and now I'm making you my reality.

And the reality is that life is tough. I think the hardest time of my life was being down 3-1 in the series, being so close to history yet so far away. But you wouldn't let me fight alone, you helped me inspire the team to amount the greatest comeback in sports history and now we're all fighters right along with you. Not a day goes by in that clubhouse did someone fail to bring you up in a conversation, you're just that great of a person. I'm not saying you won us the World Series, but I'm not saying you didn't either.

Now I can't predict the future. You said it yourself when you gave your speech at graduation. Nothing about the future can be written in stone, but I don't care what the future holds as long as you're holding it with me. I can't wait to start a family with you, to make a life and make a difference in it. I can't wait to watch you grow every day like I have for the last year and a half. There's still a lot of things I don't know, but you teach me something new every day. And after today I get the honor to call you my wife" I finish.

"Growing up in Chicago, sports have always been a big part of my life. So when I went to the park to study under the open sky in my Lester shirt I didn't think I was anything special. I've done stuff like that all my life, but it turned out to be the best decision of my life, and it was hardly a decision at that. You came up to me and asked me a million questions for some reason I kept answering. You showed the real you in the matter of seconds and I automatically knew that you were more than just a cancer survivor who played baseball. You were a curious and caring human being who would approach a random girl in the middle of Chicago just to get to know her.

Then that night you came and found me in the diner. You just played a amazing game and was probably so tired but you thought of me and followed me to work. I was so scared that I was going to say something stupid or that it wasn't real life. I looked up to you on and off the field but never thought this would be my life. But I knew you were real in every way possible so I let go, I let you in. And now here we are a year and a half later getting married in probably the prettiest scene I've ever seen. After the cancer scare and traveling the world and all the baseball games I'm still excited to come home to my best friend and our dogs and eventually our family.

Today I don't love you more than any other day, I don't look at you with more lust and I don't feel any different. I always knew you would be the one to fix me and the love never dies, it only grows. The only thing that will change after today is my last name, but I think that's pretty cool too" she smiles. We say our "I do's" and I move her vail before I press my lips to my wife... yeah, my wife. We'll walk down the isle as rice rains on top of us and we hop in the limo. She crawls in next to me and closes the door before I kiss her once again, but this time with more passion and hunger than before.

"What was that for" she whispers as we break apart.

"I just wanted to kiss my wife" I smile and she smiles back. I look into her eyes once more, but this time all I can see is love.

We walk around the reception talking to everyone who came out. A lot of guys from the team was there and Joe even made a speech. I think he fit every punch line in there which was funny yet inspirational, just like him. As the night goes on I keep my arm securely around my wife, love saying that, and admired this little life we made.

Take away the game of baseball, all the home runs and world championship rings, take out the team and all the wins we've been able to make these past few years and I'm still left with the best thing that has ever happened to me. A million other situations could have happened to me, just the slightest change in my time line and I might not be here today. But I wouldn't change a damn thing because at this moment I am the happiest I've ever been.

I join Camilla on the dance floor for our first dance as the music starts. A Thousand Years by Christina Perry plays in the background as we swayed back in fourth. Her arms secure around my back as hers rest behind my neck. We stare at each other with our smiles bright as ever and never fading.

"You know, I've dreamed of this moment for a long time and it's so much better than I expected" she mentions.

"Every moment with you is the best moment of my life" I reply.

"Why do you love me" she asks.

"Because you are living proof that it does get better, to never settle because there's something more to be known. You teach me things about life and about myself every day and only someone truly special can do that. I can't explain just how much you mean to me because words won't do it justice. You're my everything and my only chance of a happily ever after" I reply. She presses her lips to mine unexpectedly and I melt into her touch. I couldn't wait to start the rest of my life with the woman I love.