Flowers symbolize love, hope, and joy. But for Utah-based Micka Perry, they represent much more than that—they bring back fond memories of her late father.
Forty-five-year-old Mrs. Perry was born to parents who owned and managed various flower shops. Growing up and being homeschooled in a close-knit family alongside eight siblings, Mrs. Perry spent her childhood watching and working with her father, Chad Ward Wright, in a flower shop—part of her education encompassed learning the family business.
“My parents both worked in the flower shop—sweeping floors, answering phones, and picking orders,” she told The Epoch Times. “And as a little girl, ... every time I walked by him sweeping the floor, [my father] put a flower in my hair. I loved it.”
Apart from being engrained with a strong work ethic, the mom of ten from Mapleton also had the opportunity to learn design skills.
“We designed next to each other for all of my teenage years,” said Mrs. Perry, who learned to cut flowers and arrange them into vases.
During Christmas, she would watch eagerly and help her father as he brought life into his clients’ homes with amazing floral decorations.
The Cancer Battle
In July 2017, Mr. Wright, then 65, received the devastating news that he had bone cancer in his leg. Worse yet, doctors predicted that he had possibly as little as six months to live. However, after undergoing treatment, including the amputation of his right leg, he was declared cancer-free.Unfortunately, a few years later, the cancer returned, this time in his hip and cheek. Doctors believed it was unlikely that Mr. Wright would survive for long, even with treatment; the cancer was the size of a grapefruit and had begun to protrude from his skin. Despite this, he underwent a seven-hour surgery and pulled through for a second time.
“We knew that that was another answer to our prayers as he recovered quite quickly,” Mrs. Perry said. “He was just a fighter.”
Sadly, a few years later, Mr. Wright’s cancer returned, this time to his lung and brain. He also began to suffer several other health issues, at one point temporarily losing his hearing.
Over her father’s last few years, Mrs. Perry saw him endure severe pain. Despite it all, she said he always fought to maintain a positive mindset—always smiling and looking to God for guidance. He even witnessed the miracle of living for seven and a half years longer than the doctors predicted.
“We had seven and a half years of miracle after miracle when it came to his cancer treatments,” Mrs. Perry said. “He got three different death sentences. [The doctors said], ‘You have a month to live, you have three months to live, you have a couple of weeks to live, just do what you’ve got to do to get ready.’ My dad just pulled through it one more time and got through it one more time.”
A Floral Dress From Her Father’s Funeral Flowers
In the end, though, Mr. Wright’s health began to deteriorate and his treatments were no longer working. This year, he had a partial stroke, and his throat became partially paralyzed. He lost his ability to eat solid food, and he became gradually weaker before finally passing away.Sadly, the florist, lost his battle to cancer. He worked in his flower shop until 5 days before his death, on Jan. 28, 2024.
Throughout his life, Mrs. Perry said she knew her father liked yellow button flowers. He'd always told his family that he wanted yellow button flowers at his funeral. Wanting to honor his wishes, his family filled the funeral venue with yellow button flowers and white and yellow daisies.
His employees, who “loved him like a father,” worked to ensure that they went above and beyond.
“My brother, who has definitely inherited my dad’s floral talent, did the casket spray for my dad,” Mrs. Perry said. “And then the grandkids helped with, like, the big two floral blankets.”
Everyone worked together on the floral backgrounds by gluing individual flowers on the canvas, and Mrs. Perry recalled there was a lot of laughing and crying and special memories shared.
“All those hands and all those memories that had been shared while creating it is priceless,” Mrs. Perry said.
After the funeral on Feb. 3, many who attended the service took some flowers home with them, however, the huge backdrop was slated to be thrown away. Saddened by that thought, Mrs. Perry asked for the incredible floral background to be sent to her house, so she could admire the burst of colors for a few more days.
A day later, a thought popped into her mind: “Why don’t I make a dress out of this?”
Growing up, Mrs. Perry had created many floral dresses as a lot of the flowers from her parents’ business would go unsold.
Mrs. Perry began to work. Using the talent she had inherited from her father, she crafted a beautiful dress in a couple of hours.
The frock was comprised of four petticoats; the floral blanket was heavy, weighing in at a whopping 60 pounds. The remaining blooms were formed into clusters, which she attached to the front of her gown. After creating the floral outfit, she called her neighbor—a professional photographer—who snapped photos of Mrs. Perry wearing the stunning tribute.
“It was a sweet experience because I felt like my dad was there, and he was loving it,” Mrs. Perry said. “I feel very blessed to have inherited some of my father’s talent in the floral industry. And I love designing dresses as it’s always been like a little passion side hobby. So mixing those two together is always just exhilarating.”
Reflecting on the dress she created, Mrs. Perry said she’s grateful for the process. “I wouldn’t say it eases the sorrow, but it just makes it easier,” she said.
“They don’t they don’t know the background story,” she said. “It was a seven year journey of some miracles that we just felt so blessed and so grateful.”
The Bond She Shared With Her Father
Growing up, Mrs. Perry shared an incredible bond with her father who taught her about God’s presence and love.“One thing that was always easy for me to understand was God’s love for me because I knew how much my dad loves me,” Mrs. Perry said. “And he was always there and would do anything for me.”
Before Mr. Wright passed away, he told his family that he didn’t want them to be in tears after he passed away.
“He said, ‘I want you to put a smile on your face,’” Mrs. Perry said.
She and her siblings are very grateful to have each other. They take joy in recalling the years they shared with their father. They are thankful to have been able to say goodbye to him.
“We just felt so blessed,” Mrs. Perry said, adding that they have “so much to smile about.”
