Young Man with Autism Gives Heartwarming Best Man Speech at His Brother's Wedding
Michelle Milliken
A good best man speech provides some laughs, maybe a few tears, and a whole lot of love. That was certainly the case when Jonah and Madison Waldron got married in Iowa over the summer.
Jonah's brother Sam served as best man and was pretty nervous about delivering the speech. The 23-year-old has autism and gets uncomfortable in front of big crowds. The love he has for Jonah, though, helped him get past the fear to deliver a touching and funny tribute to his supportive big brother.
In a TikTok video that has been shared more than 27,000 times since it was first posted by Jonah and Madison, you can watch Sam get things started with a bit of honesty and humor.
He says, "I'm so honored to stand here as your best man, but I am also terrified. You see, I have autism. My autism can make me terribly scared to interact with people, let alone give a speech in front of 170 of them, for Pete's sake."
He goes on to say that there are two people he would do this kind of thing for: his brother and his new sister-in-law. At this point, you can see that Jonah and Madison are pretty emotional.
@scoutrueandfam We are so lucky to have you in our lives Sam! ❤️ #wedding #weddingtiktok #bestman #bestmanspeech
To lighten the mood again, he welcomes Madison to the family, saying that they are like a good fudge: "mostly sweet, but with a bunch of nuts." He also congratulates her on marrying the second most-handsome Waldron, before reminding her why everyone in the family already loves her.
Then come the real waterworks, as he addresses Jonah.
He says, "Growing up as your little brother, you never looked down on me. You lifted me up. You looked out for me. You always reminded me that being different was a real strength, not a weakness. You were and are patient and kind."
Sam paints a heartwarming picture of how his brother was there for him as he struggled with school, helping him find his place. As the years have progressed, Sam says that support hasn't changed.
When Sam ends his speech, you can see the tears and giggles weren't just reserved for the bride and groom. Following the toast, there's a standing ovation.
To watch Sam's entire speech, check out the video below!
