Bride's Biological Dad Shocked at Twist as He Sits in Pew and Her Adoptive Father Walks Her Down the Aisle (Exclusive)

Tonya Sue Piñones was adopted when she was 3 years old

• Tonya Sue Piñones' biological dad placed her for adoption when she was 3 years old

• The Fort Worth, Texas, local had always known her biological dad and leading up to her wedding in September 2022 wrestled with whether to include him in the ceremony

• After chatting with her adoptive dad, Piñones came up with the idea to surprise her biological dad and have him walk down the aisle with them

• She later shared the heartwarming moment on TikTok. Since then, the video has gone viral, garnering more than 9.4 million views and 2,300 comments
  

Tonya Sue Piñones has always known her biological dad, Ralph Eugene Bryant. Although he placed her for adoption when she was 3 years old, Piñones and Bryant, now 63, have developed a close relationship in recent years.

In the months leading up to her wedding in September 2022, the Fort Worth, Texas, local wrestled with whether to include Bryant in her ceremony — particularly in the moment of walking her down the aisle. She didn’t want to take away from the significance of the moment for her adoptive dad, Leslie Ray Smith.

"My adoptive dad is one of the kindest, most selfless and patient people I’ve ever met," Piñones tells PEOPLE. "He gave his life to raising my siblings and me — five kids who aren’t biologically his. He doesn’t have any biological children of his own, but he has always been there for us, providing love and care like any father would."

"I felt guilty, thinking that by asking him to share that moment with my biological dad, I might diminish what he truly deserved," she continues. "So, I decided not to ask him to give up his moment."

Related: Couple Learns Dirty Dancing Routine for Wedding First Dance, but a Lift Slip-Up Has Them Torn on Who's to Blame (Exclusive)

But then, about two months before the wedding at Bell Tower Chapel and Gardens in Fort Worth, Texas, Smith called Piñones with a surprising request. He told her that, in his heart, he felt it was important to include her biological dad in the walk down the aisle.

Piñones explains that Smith shared how her biological dad had lost a lot in his life and he wanted to give him a sense of hope, allowing him to be a part of her special day.

"Then he asked me how I felt about it, if I’d be okay with that," Piñones, now 40, recalls. "Of course, I started crying because that’s the kind of dad he is — so loving and selfless. He never made us feel guilty about wanting to spend time with our biological dad growing up. And that’s why I love him so much."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

With the burden of the decision lifted, Piñones came up with the idea to surprise her biological dad. She knew he would never expect to walk her down the aisle; they’d never discussed it, and she could tell it wasn’t something he envisioned for himself. Over the years, her biological dad had always spoken highly of Smith, saying, "I couldn’t have asked for a better man to raise my kids," Piñones shares.

On the big day, Piñones asked her wedding planner to position her biological dad at the edge of the center aisle, so she and Smith could stop there and invite him to join them. While preparing for the moment emotionally, she focused on staying composed, thinking to herself, "Don’t cry, don’t cry."

Related: Mom of 4 Is Placed in Hospice Care 2 Weeks Before Son's Wedding. On His Big Day, She's on the Dance Floor with a Smile (Exclusive)

"I love both of them very much," Piñones says. "My relationship with each of them is different, but both are special in their own ways. After the ceremony, our family and friends said they loved the moment too."

"This moment meant a lot to me. It’s kind of a representation of my life," she adds. "Without my biological dad, I wouldn’t be here. Without my adoptive dad, I wouldn’t be the person I am. I’ve always needed both of them at different points in my life. Having both of them to love and be loved by — it’s a great thing."

Piñones later shared the heartwarming moment on TikTok. Since then, the video has gone viral, garnering more than 9.4 million views and 2,300 comments.

Reading through the comments, she says it's amazing to see people express how selfless her adoptive dad is. However, some comments were negative and showed people’s willingness to make assumptions about things they knew nothing about.

"My biological dad knew that, at that time in his life, he wasn’t in a position to give my brother, sister, and me a good life," she says. "So he made the decision he had to make. My adoptive dad took us in and gave himself a hundred percent to being our dad. They have both honored and respected each other’s positions in our lives, allowing us to love both of them freely."

"This is love," she adds. "I hope that, whether it’s biological, adoptive or step-parents, people will understand the power of loving selflessly."

"I love to share different parts of my life," Piñones continues. "I enjoy making people laugh and smile, but I also want to shine a light on those who do something worth mentioning. There’s so much negativity in the world — it’s nice to throw a little love and fun into the mix and give people something to smile about."