When Paul Lockwood and Katherine Gruspe met about a year ago, they never imagined they’d be where they are today.
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“She didn’t want a bar of this bloke because of the tattoos and stuff. She was like, ‘who is this guy’, do you remember?” Paul says.
Kath laughs.
“I don’t usually like tattoos,” she says.
It’s Friday morning, and she is sitting at his bedside at the Launceston General Hospital, the day before they were supposed to be married on a friend’s farm at Karoola.
The week before the wedding
Last Sunday, Paul was driving between two rural properties in his all-terrain vehicle, after dropping Kath off for her hen’s party.
He drove onto a short stretch of road between the two farms when, suddenly, the wheels seized up.
“I know I shouldn’t have been driving it there, because it was a public road,” he said.
“Anyway, it started sliding and I tried to control it but that was the end of it - it went around over, bang and was rolling.”
Every time the vehicle rolled, it landed on him.
“I thought I was going to die.
“Once it came to a rest, I was lying on the ground because it landed on me and my leg was under the wheel.
“I got myself out of the seat so that I could get as comfortable as I could but I just thought, this is it.
“I looked at the sky, it was a nice day, and I made peace with myself and figured that was the end of it, that I was gone.”
People surrounded Paul fairly quickly, and he has vague memories of the paramedics arriving at the scene and taking him to hospital.
He has been at the Launceston General Hospital since the accident, which resulted in six broken ribs and some bad cuts and bruises on his hip, leg and head.
“We’re waiting to hear back from the surgeons in Hobart about whether I’m going to have surgery done to pin the ribs because they’re moving around - there are so many fractures.”
He could still be in hospital for weeks and it will take three to six months for him to recover.
“I was trying to get discharged before the wedding and the nurses said, ‘no, it’s not going to happen’, and I said, ‘well, what about for a day release?’, and they said, ‘well, we’ll see’, and I thought, well I’ll just walk out. I don’t think I would have, but anyway.”
That’s when staff suggested they get married in the hospital’s chapel.
Paul and Kath jumped at the idea.
“Life’s short - it can change at any moment,” Paul said.
“A social worker came up to talk to me and we went down and saw the pastor.
“My sister’s a celebrant so she’s overseeing the wedding and I’ve also got my old school principal who I’m mates with now - my primary school principal. Between him and my sister, they’re doing the ceremony.”
It wasn’t quite the wedding they had expected, but both Paul and Kath were thrilled with how it turned out.
The big day
On Saturday, Paul had to get ready with the help of the nurses at the hospital, and Kath spent her morning at Paul’s parents’ house.
She had her dress made in the Philippines, where she is originally from.
A small gathering of close family and friends attended the wedding in the chapel, followed by a reception in a function room at the hospital.
Even some hospital staff members popped in to witness the ceremony.
After being wheeled down to the chapel in a wheelchair, Paul managed to stand for the ceremony.
His son Angus walked Kath down the isle, and Paul’s sister, Fiona Stewart, officiated the wedding.
“I found you in the most unexpected way and I didn’t expect this,” Paul said to Kath during his vows.
“Distance hasn’t stopped us from being together, and even my dumb acts that end me up in places like this haven’t stopped us, so nothing will.”
Kath said, “I never thought this day was ever going to happen. I can’t believe we’re really getting married.
“From not liking you at first to marrying the person I love the most.
“I promise to make you laugh everyday, but I won’t make you laugh right now because you are in so much pain.”
A happy ending
The ATV accident wasn’t Paul’s first run with bad luck this year.
In May, his house at Karoola burnt down.
“It’s been a tough year,” he said.
“We were staying at a motel and then got another property around the corner from our place and we’re renting there for the time being.”
Paul said after the ceremony, despite the pain, it had all been worth it.
“I couldn’t be happier – I can’t believe how lucky I am. It’s the best ending to a tough year.
“It’s a good ending and a new start.”