An Oban couple have tied the knot in an emotional hospital bedside ceremony.
John Gallacher and his bride Lesley had already put off their wedding during Covid, but after he took seriously ill, they decided there was no time like the present.
Thanks to the support of family and staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow, the couple are now officially Mr and Mrs.
The magic of the couple’s love affair began four years ago – when Mr Gallacher, who runs an Oban scenery Facebook page, plucked up the courage to message one special woman from the West Midlands.
The former CalMac worker, who is known as Panda, said: “I was sitting typing out a message to her and then not sending it. Eventually I sent a message, and thank God she replied.”
They met for the first time in Oban’s Costa and “haven’t stopped talking since”.
Heart rate ‘off the charts’
The pair then travelled regularly did the 400-mile journey between their homes to see each other, and eventually decided to get married.
But they were forced to put their plans on hold three times due to Covid, and were just about to set a new date when Mr Gallacher became gravely ill.
The 56-year-old, from Dunbeg, said: “I knew something was wrong – but I just did not put my health first. Each day I became increasingly worse. Lesley kept saying she would take me to the doctor, and I kept putting it off.”
Increasingly concerned, Mrs Gallacher took him to the doctor and he was immediately rushed to Lorn and Islands hospital in Oban, before an emergency transfer to Queen Elizabeth’s hospital in Glasgow. His heart rate was “off the charts”.
“They took me into the cardiac unit by ambulance,” he said. “My health was not good at all.”
He was rushed into ICU in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he collapsed and for two harrowing minutes medics battled to bring him back. He said: “They told me if I had been ‘dead’ for any longer there would have been significant brain damage.”
He recovered briefly and collapsed again, with medics again stepping in to save his life.
“My internal organs all began to fail – my heart, my lungs, my kidneys. It has been a nightmare,” he said. “I had no idea if I was going to make it.”
Mrs Gallacher, 57, was by his side the whole time and her family raced up from England to support her.
Perfect ceremony thanks to kindness of strangers
While it was touch and go as to whether Mr Gallacher would make it, the couple decided they wanted to get married and Mrs Gallacher’s daughters “sprung into action” to make it happen.
Worried Mr Gallacher might take another turn for the worse, the couple initially had a handfasting ceremony incase they could not have time for an official ceremony.
But hospital chaplain Rev Ishcaju stepped in and made the nuptials official.
The couple thanked him for his “amazing” support, along with Joe O’Donnell from seafarers charity Stella Maris.
Hospital staff also went above and beyond – getting Mr Gallacher shaved and in a shirt for his wedding day.
Mrs Gallacher’s daughter Josie, who is a florist, made a silk bouquet and buttonhole while her partner Lisa also managed to source some tartan for a cover, in lieu of a kilt.
The couple even had bagpipe music playing – from a mobile phone.
Mrs Gallacher said: “It was a perfect ceremony, and it was because of the kindness of strangers and the support of my daughters.”
Time to kiss the bride
Mr Gallacher was so gravely ill during the ceremony that he wear an oxygen mask – removing it to say his vows, and of course, kiss his bride.
Afterwards the staff organised a buffet, cake and even some alcohol free fizz to celebrate the couple’s unique day.
“My older daughter Jenny, came up on the plane without us knowing to the wedding, and she read out John’s best man’s speech,” Mrs Gallacher added.
“As John was so ill, we set our minds to the thing that really mattered, and that was that two people who love each other and wanted to be husband and wife whatever else.
“It was the most amazing time. Perfect really.
“John is hopefully turning a corner in his health, I believe that is down to love, and the power of prayer and healing.”
The couple were married on July 3.
Mr Gallacher has had dialysis for his kidneys, but is likely to remain in hospital for some time to come.
