Jeff Bridges, 72, worked with a trainer to walk daughter Hayley, 37, down the aisle

Jeff Bridges has revealed he worked with a trainer in order to walk his daughter Hayley down the aisle following his recent health struggles.    

The 72-year-old was diagnosed with cancer of the lymphatic system in 2020 and was also hit hard by COVID-19 which he previously admitted left him at 'death's door'.

However after only being able to stand for '45 seconds' the actor sought out professional help before his youngest daughter tied the knot in California's Santa Ynez Valley in August 2021.

Helping hand: Jeff Bridges, 72,  has revealed he worked with a trainer in order to walk his daughter Hayley down the aisle following his recent health struggles

Father of the bride: The 72-year-old was every inch the proud father as he accompanied daughter Hayley down the aisle at her 2021 wedding in California's Santa Ynez Valley 

Images from the wedding, which were published by Brides magazine in July of this year, show the proud father accompanying Hayley to the altar in front of a crowd of grinning guests. 

But while Bridges had a wide smile on his face the entire time, even performing a toast at the reception after the ceremony, he has now revealed that a lot of sweat went into making that moment happen.  

Speaking to the Independent he said that he practiced taking walks down his hospital corridor while still attached to oxygen. 

'The first goal was how long can I stand up, and my record was 45 seconds, that's how long I could stand up. And then it was, how many steps can I take?'.

He worked with a trainer everyday and eventually his walks got longer revealing: 'One day I said, "Maybe I can do it, you know". 

Daddy daughter: However after only being able to stand for '45 seconds' the actor sought out professional help before his youngest daughter tied the knot in California's Santa Ynez Valley in August 2021 (pictured together in 2017) 

'And it turns out I not only got to walk her down the aisle, but I got to do the wedding dance'.

Jeff has been happily married to his wife, film producer Susan Geston, since 1977, and they have two older daughters, Isabelle and Jessica. 

Elsewhere in the interview he recalled how COVID-19 'kicked his a**' when he contraction it in January 2021 and spent five weeks in intensive care. 

Bride and groom: Hayley, who works as an interior designer, pictured with her now-husband wealth advisor Justin Shane

With his immune system at an all time low following cancer treatment he revealed the secondary illness made 'cancer look like nothing'. 

It comes after the Oscar nominated actor  said that everything in life became 'hyper-precious' to him amid his illness.

With him believing his two-year 'health adventure' has actually helped him to look at life through a new lens.

He told Sky News: 'Not all bad - [there were] wonderful parts about being that sick that were kind of unexpected, you know, feeling all that love coming towards me from my family and friends and from other people all over the world'.  

'That was [an] unexpected, wonderful feeling, and then also the love that that kind of triggered for me.

'I said, "Oh yeah, this is life, this is wonderful", and everything became kind of hyper-precious during that time.'