Dee instantly felt there was something different about Danny. He was charming, handsome, and genuine. She knew she'd met the man of her dreams.
Three months later, Dee didn't hesitate to accept Danny's proposal. Their lavish white wedding — complete with 200 guests — was set to take place on July 5, 2008.
Dee's parents, Joe and Therese, spared no expense for their daughter's dream wedding. It included a luxury venue, gourmet menu, DJ, photographer, and fancy dress. The total came to over $30,000.
The only thing that was causing problems was Danny’s inability to pay the rent. According to Dee, he always had an excuse. So she agreed to take out the credit agreement on her diamond engagement ring and used her savings to pay for their honeymoon cruise.
Four days before the wedding, Dee says they had a big fight over rent money. But despite the fact Danny had said he was broke, Dee decided to put her love for him over his money troubles.
The night before the wedding, Danny sent Dee a message. "Love you," he said. "See you soon."
She couldn't wait! She was pampered and ready, and everything was perfect. The photographer took photos of Dee posing before the ceremony.
But Danny wasn't there. In fact, no one on his side was there. Dee's bridesmaids tried to calm her down, saying they must've been delayed. Dee, however, knew something was wrong. She gave her keys to her maid of honor and told her to find him.
But the groom was nowhere to be found — and she said he even took their TV and some furniture.
It was every bride’s worst nightmare; Danny ditched her at the altar. Not only did Joe and Therese waste all that money, but their daughter was heartbroken and humiliated.
Joe took control of the situation and calmly announced what was going on. He asked the guests to stay and make the best of the horrible situation. Dee, sobbing, was surrounded by her supportive loved ones. Meanwhile, no one in Danny's family responded to the desperate calls.
Dee went on the honeymoon by herself, then went with Joe to find Danny at the restaurant where he worked. And there he was, as if nothing had happened.
Joe, a lawyer, proclaimed they would sue him. Dee didn't just want revenge; she wanted justice. The father-daughter duo worked together to prepare the lawsuits. Dee wanted the rent he owed and the possessions he took, and Joe sued for breach of contract and wedding expenses.
Nine months later, the judge ruled in their favor, and Dee found herself fascinated by the law.
"Now I don’t cry over the day I was jilted; I’m glad it happened," she wrote on GulfNews.com in 2013. "It meant I’m following my dream to be a trial lawyer.
"Four years ago, I thought I would never ever want to date a man again," Dee explained. "You never know — someday I might want to get married, but for now, I'm just grateful Danny didn’t turn up. I had a lucky escape."
