Homeless couple of 24 years who could never afford to marry are given a surprise wedding after a hairdresser saw them collecting plastic scraps to sell for food
- Rosalyn Ferrer, 50, and Rommel Basco, 55, have been together for 24 years
- Couple from the Philippines, sell scraps to feed themselves and their six children
- Richard Strandz surprised the pair with a makeover and a church wedding
A homeless couple have revealed their transformation after being given a surprise makeover for a glamorous wedding photo shoot.
Rosalyn Ferrer, 50, and Rommel Basco, 55, from Pampanga province, the Philippines, have been squatting in a small shack in an empty patch of wasteland with their six children for several years.
After 24 years together, they were unable to marry because they couldn’t afford it and were too busy focusing on ‘getting enough food to eat each day’.
Richard Strandz who owns a hair salon near the couple’s home, met the couple while they were collecting plastic to sell to scrape together money for food, and spoke to friends to arrange a complete wedding package for the couple.
Now Richard has helped the couple process the papers for their marriage licence, and will fund their church wedding once everything is in place.
Rosalyn Ferrer, 50, and Rommel Basco, 55, (pictured) from Pampanga province, the Philippines, were surprised with a wedding photo shoot
Rommel and Rosalyn (pictured) who have six children, have been together for 24 years but unable to afford a wedding
Richard Strandz organised the good deed after seeing the couple (pictured) near his hairdressing salon
For their glamorous photo shoot on 13 February, Rosalyn was given a white wedding gown and Rommel wore a Barong Tagalog suit.
Rosalyn said: ‘I once dreamed of having a white wedding but that was when I was a little girl. It went out of my mind long ago.
‘We never had enough money and all we concentrated on was getting enough food to eat each day. Now I feel so blessed that it has happened. I’m so thankful.’
Hairdresser Richard, saw the couple while they were collecting discarded plastic bottles near his shop.
Rosalyn was given a white wedding dress and Rommel a Barong Tagalog suit (pictured) for the special occasion
Rosalyn said she always dreamed of having a white wedding but stopped thinking about it because of their poverty. Pictured: The couple and their children
Rosalyn said they’ve been concentrating on getting enough food for each day and feel ‘blessed’ to have Richard volunteer to help with their wedding
Richard spotted the couple gathering discarded plastic to sell for money to buy food. Pictured: Rommel with their children
Richard said he was ‘touched by their love story’ and decided to contact his friends who have a wedding supplies business
They have them weighed in each day to scrape together enough money for food.
Richard said: ‘I found out about how the two have been living together for more than two decades but cannot afford a small wedding.
‘I was touched by their love story so I contacted my friends who had a wedding supplies business and thought of surprising them with a charity wedding.’
Richard and his friends will also pay for the couple’s church wedding, which they hope will be held later this year, once they have processed their marriage papers.
He added: ‘True love is something that should be celebrated. It’s very special, no matter whether you’re rich or poor.’
In addition to the glamorous photoshoot, Richard and his friends have agreed to pay for the couple’s (pictured) church wedding
Richard said ‘true love is something that should be celebrated’, regardless of wealth