After 48 years of marriage, Don and Eunice Hixon of Middlesex Township are still talking about their walk down the aisle.

Though the couple said their vows nearly a half a century ago, their first trip down the aisle happened just weeks before their most recent anniversary, their 48th.

They married very young.

"We just kind of got to know each other too young," said Eunice, who met her partner for life at an Evans City church.

"I was 13 and he was 14 when we started out," she said.

After a four-year courtship, the couple married on Jan. 25, 1957, while they were both still seniors in high school.

Despite their parents' concerns, the pair found a pastor to marry them at his parsonage.

Though neither can remember the pastor's name, they recall the four-person guest list, which included Eunice's brother and his wife, plus Eunice's sister and her sister's fiancé.

After the humble ceremony, the couple returned to the home of Eunice's brother and his wife for a makeshift reception."They went to the store and bought two coconut cakes and piled them on top of each other, and that was our wedding cake," remembered Eunice.For their honeymoon, the couple spent a weekend in Front Royal, Va., returning in time for school on Monday.Over the years, the couple celebrated the birth of four children and several grandchildren.They have also had their share of hardships including financial woes and a tornado which destroyed several newly renovated rooms in their home in 1985."With all our happiness we've had some pain," Eunice admitted. "It was a struggle, I can say it was a struggle, but it was worth it."Though their lack of a formal wedding never bothered them, the couple planned to renew their vows on their 40th anniversary.But when that anniversary came, the renewal ceremony was canceled due to the ailing health of Eunice's mother.In August 2004, the Hixons' happiness was disrupted once again when Eunice was diagnosed with breast cancer.Each month tests showed the cancer growing and spreading, lessening the opportunities for surgeries and other conventional treatment.Even conventional medicines were ruled out when Eunice had allergic reactions to her prescriptions.As the months passed, Eunice began a healthier lifestyle, eating all fresh foods with no preservatives, and relying on faith for the rest.A retired nurse, it was difficult for her to abandon medical treatment to rely on natural remedies.

"It's really depending on God, which is really a big step," she said.Eunice spent many sleepless nights worried for her health and her life."I woke up and thought, 'What would you like to do before you die?' and I thought, 'I've never had a real wedding.'"In November, she told her daughter, Joy Cetnar, that she wanted to have a wedding."I said, 'Well, have one,'" said Cetnar, who thought that her mother should plan a ceremony soon, while her health permitted it.Eunice then began the planning, finding an open day at her church, asking a friend to make a wedding cake, even buying a wedding dress.An evening ceremony was held Dec. 30 at Evangel Heights Assembly of God Church in Buffalo Township."There were about 160 people that made it for the wedding," recalled Don.As the ceremony began, the Hixons' children and grandchildren preceded them down the aisle into the sanctuary, still decorated with red and green from Christmas.The Rev. John Kuert, head pastor at the church, officiated the ceremony."I thought it was pretty unique that all their kids and grandkids came down first and were kind of like the bridal party," Kuert said. "It was a great family celebration."Don presented his bride with a three-stone diamond ring, representing their past, present and future.

Though the event was emotional for the couple and their family, Cetnar said the celebration overshadowed concerns over Eunice's health."I knew enough other people would be crying," Cetnar said. "I just kind of put (the cancer) out of my mind.""It just made my heart rejoice," said Eunice who remembered being overwhelmed by the number of people at the ceremony.The feeling of joy was shared by those in attendance."In light of some of the things that she's been battling with, it just seemed to make it a really extra-special celebration," Kuert said. "I was honored to do that for them.""I think we saw that marriage can last even with a difficult start," Cetnar said. "Their faith in God has taken them through many difficult times."Following the renewal of their vows, a dinner reception was held at the church where the couple cut their second - slightly more elegant - wedding cake."We gave everybody a plate," said Don, showing a winter theme dinner plate which guests received as a favor from the couple.Since the ceremony, Eunice said that her focus has turned to how she is living as opposed to how she is going to die."There's a lot of things I'd like to do yet, it's just one day at a time," she said.The Hixons agreed that the wedding has served as a turning point for them in their attitudes and outlooks for the future.Eunice said that the support of friends and family has also helped them to appreciate their lives, despite their challenges."When you go to a funeral, you say 'Well I wish these people knew how much somebody cared (before they died).' Well I saw how much people cared and that was nice," said Eunice, as tears filled her eyes."But I'm gonna live and not die. I have too much to live for."