Last month Darren Smith was excitedly planning his wedding to his soulmate Ashlee and celebrating the three-month mark of her pregnancy.
But three weeks ago Darren, 30, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia and doctors revealed they couldn’t give him a prognosis.
Suddenly the well-planned future had become a huge question mark.
Darren Smith, 30, wed his pregnant fiancée Ashlee, 24, after he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia just three weeks ago
So last week as Darren and Ashlee, 24, looked into each other’s eyes on his hospital bed, the veteran told his fiancée how much he just wanted to marry her.
Ashlee revealed she was thinking the exact same thing, and in just four days their wish became a reality.
It has been a roller coaster of a journey for the couple, who met while on a night out of karaoke in June 2016.
‘We just fell in love, and we literally haven’t spent a day apart since,’ Darren told Daily Mail Australia.
The couple planned the wedding at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in just four days
The couple sat for the ceremony, as Darren was in too much pain to stand, in front of 15 of their closest family and friends
A year later Darren proposed, sending Ashlee to get her hair done and then surprising her at the salon with a poem and an engagement ring.
The couple soon found out they were expecting, adding to the good news.
But recently Darren had been feeling unwell for about a month, which at first he thought was related to major back surgery he had in July.
It has been a roller coaster of a journey for the couple, who met while on a night out of karaoke in June 2016
Darren pushed for further testing at the hospital, and three weeks ago it was confirmed he had leukaemia. Chemotherapy began just two days later.
With the diagnosis came a slew of emotional questions. Would Darren be there for his baby’s birth in June? Would he get to spend a long life together with his family?
‘They can’t give us any prognosis,’ he said. ‘We don’t know how I’m going to go, whether I’m going to last or not.’
But one thing Darren and Ashlee knew they could do in the present moment was say ‘I do’.
The couple were able to pull together a wedding dress, rings, and a celebrant for the ceremony in the chapel at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital last Wednesday.
They tied the knot in front of 15 close family and friends, the maximum amount Darren was allowed to have because of his weakened immune system.
The couple sat for the ceremony, as Darren was in too much pain to stand.
‘I refused all forms of pain medication for that day,’ Darren said. ‘I wanted to make sure I had all my wits about me.’
Despite the pain, Darren said the special day was the happiest of his life.
A year later Darren proposed, sending Ashlee to get her hair done and then surprising her at the salon with a poem and an engagement ring
‘No matter my prognosis, I got to marry my soulmate, my best friend, and she is selfless,’ he said.
Darren served for 10 years in the army, and Ashlee wore a special camo ribbon to honour him.
‘I call her my angel, and she calls me her soldier,’ he said. ‘She looked absolutely gorgeous and I’m the luckiest man in the world.’
Now the couple are just taking it day by day as Darren undergoes five rounds of chemotherapy to start his treatment.
They dream of buying a farm, but the couple are at the moment struggling to keep their driver training business open while Darren is in hospital.
Those who want to help the family can email smithdarren2601@gmail.com