Groom Who Died on Church Steps After Saying 'I Do' Remembered by Widow: 'Everything Was Fine Until We Went Outside'

An Omaha woman is honoring her late husband on the anniversary of his death — which is also their wedding anniversary.

Toraze and Johnnie Mae Davis had just said “I do” on June 19, 2023, when the newlyweds exited the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Omaha to take pictures with family. 

That’s when, at 4:35 pm, the 48-year-old groom's heart stopped, according to a local news report on KCCI-TV .  

His cause of death was later determined to be a blood clot, 3 News Now reported.

As the American Heart Association explains, “Blood clots can travel to the arteries or veins in the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs and limbs, which can cause heart attack, stroke, organ damage or even death.”

And as the organization says, “A blood clot in the heart or lungs could include symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath and upper body discomfort in the arms, back, neck or jaw, suggesting a heart attack or pulmonary embolism.”

An estimated 60,000-100,000 Americans die every year from blood clots, the CDC reports.

But as Davis told 3 News Now, "Everything was going fine until we went outside."

"He was there, he went through the whole ceremony. His last words was 'Johnnie Mae, I love you, I'm sorry.' “

“And I told him, ‘It’s okay. I love you too.’ ”

Now, a year later, Davis joined family — including her daughter with her late husband — and friends to celebrate Toraze's life.

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"I feel good, I mean, it's a celebration of life and love. it's our anniversary, so it's not a sad day,” Davis said. She held up a poster of her husband adorned with pictures of him throughout his life that said “Happy Anniversary.”

"It was a dream wedding. It was something. He told me, ‘Pick whatever you wanna do,’ “ Davis told 3 News Now. “I dressed him. I dressed us."

“It's a happy day to continue to keep going," Davis, whose family set up a GoFundMe following his death, said. She’s since started a business, 3 News Now reports, something she and Toraze used to talk about doing someday.

Tiffani McCowin said that “we’re still in disbelief,” as her cousin’s death was so sudden. 

 "This is not an ordinary situation, and so it's a shocker," McCowin told 3 News Now.

 "Family is all you got,” she continued. “Treasure and cherish the memories and moments you get to spend with them."