Couple with Months Left Together Mark 50th Anniversary over Dinner — Wife ‘In Tears’ with Server’s Note

A Southport, United Kingdom, couple went to a local eatery to celebrate their 50 wedding anniversary amid the husband’s terminal cancer diagnosis, expecting nothing but a great evening. They didn’t anticipate that the night would go better than expected when their server gave them a big surprise!

On August 2, 2023, Paul, 68, and Dawn Molineux, 66, visited Southport’s Hickory’s Smokehouse to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. The actual date for their wedding anniversary is August 29, 2023, but the pair celebrated it much earlier due to their desire to make the most of their time together.

The couple, who are high school sweethearts, found out at the beginning of the year that they only have about 18 months left together because of a terminal illness Paul is battling. The duo intended to enjoy a meal together at the restaurant and leave but didn’t anticipate a big surprise awaiting their arrival.

Despite all they are going through, they didn’t expect something extra or pity, but Hickory’s made their anniversary memorable. Paul and his wife got the best service from the restaurant, but the most significant part came at the end of their evening.

The couple was left shocked when they received their bill due to the generosity of the person who’d served them. Dawn’s husband even wrote about part of their experience at Hickory’s on social media, revealing how the staff made their visit extra special.

A more detailed account of what happened that day and who the Molineuxs are is revealed below. Paul and his wife’s love story will leave you swooning and enthralled throughout, starting with how the pair met.

Paul, then 16, had a friend who asked him to join him and his girlfriend for an outing, but because he didn’t want to be the odd one out, he wondered if the pal’s partner could bring a friend. Several names were mentioned before Paul settled on a girl named Dawn.

The girl for his blind date was only 14 at the time, and they clicked immediately before making their relationship legal by getting married two years later at 18 and 16. Paul revealed that his wife is his “soulmate,” they worked together at a fresh food stop before moving on to his aquarium business.

The pair finally worked separately when Dawn became a carer but other than that; they remained in each other’s lives all the time. The couple also welcomed three children, and in August 2023, they had two grandchildren they doted on.

They went to celebrate their wedding anniversary weeks ahead as they wished to make the most of their lives because, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Paul was diagnosed with bowel cancer. He underwent successful surgery, but after being in the clear for 18 months, on January 10, 2023, doctors told him the cancer had spread to his stomach.

Dawn and her husband now regard Davies as a friend…

Dawn’s husband was informed that they couldn’t operate and told he could live for up to six months if he didn’t pursue chemotherapy or 18 months if he did. He chose chemotherapy, and he and his wife decided to “live life to the full, and make the best” of the time they had, with Dawn confessing:

“I actually don’t know how I will cope when I lose him, but we are making fantastic memories for as long as we can.”

So they went to Hickory’s to celebrate their anniversary and were welcomed warmly and surprised when their table had a “Happy Anniversary” sign. Many staff members spoke to them and the boss of the establishment, but their main server, deputy general manager James Davies took the cake.

Paul wrote on a Facebook food review group for Southport about how Davies went above and beyond to serve them. The deputy general manager was interested in the couple’s marriage and heard about Paul’s terminal diagnosis, but they didn’t expect what he did for them.

After enjoying their meal, some drinks, and a delicious dessert, Paul and Dawn asked for their bill, which totaled £80 or roughly $101. However, when they wanted to pay, they were stunned when they realized the meal had been waived with a message on the receipt reading:

“Happy anniversary! The bill is on us x.”

Paul was left “Just lost for words” when Davies explained how touched he was by their story and had covered their meal! The couple couldn’t believe what was happening with the elderly man recalling:

“My wife was just in tears when she saw the gesture.”

Dawn and her husband now regard Davies as a friend, and he is invited to their big anniversary celebration that will be held on August 26, 2023, and he accepted! Paul gave Hickory’s a 12/10 score in his review and thanked them for making their night wonderful!