A 28-year-old woman left quadriplegic after her spinal cord was severed in a tragic accident has defied the odds to walk down the aisle at her wedding.
Rhiannon Harding, from Wallan in Victoria, married her high school sweetheart Mark Harding in March after he supported her through her excruciating recovery.
The young woman was told she would never walk again following a horrific injury when she was holidaying in Bali in 2009. The then-20-year-old dove into a shallow pool after mistaken it for the deep end.
Not only did she severely break her neck and back, but the fragments of broken bone were piercing into her spinal cord, struggling to move her body in the water.
Fast forward, she has fulfilled her ultimate goal by getting up from her wheelchair to walk down the aisle before exchanging her vows with the love of her life.
Rhiannon Harding (nee Tracey), from Victoria’s Wallan, married her high school sweetheart Mark Harding in March after he supported her through her recovery from a devastating pool plunge
Mrs Harding was declared a quadriplegic after suffering a spinal cord injury but has defied the odds to walk down the aisle in an intimate wedding ceremony
‘It was the most magical day for both of our lives,’ Mrs Harding told Daily Mail Australia.
‘The important part was our ceremony – that was our thing. It was based around our personalities, our three dogs were there – there were lots of laughs and hidden jokes.
‘Our wedding day wasn’t just about us, but for everyone who played a significant part in our lives – and we were able to share our special day with them.’
Confined to a wheelchair since the age of 20, she was determined to prove doctors wrong by finding the strength to stand on her feet at her dream wedding.
‘The walk down the aisle was a breeze,’ she said, laughing as she reminisced the incredible moment she was flanked by her father and step-father.
‘Honestly, the walk was the last thing I was concerned about on my wedding day. Having a spinal cord injury is so complex because every single day is a different day.
‘What freaked me out the most was my health – one day you could feel like c**p and another day you’re feeling wonderful. If I wasn’t well, I couldn’t fix [my health].
‘I remember it was nerve wracking. I was so nervous in the car when I was on my way to the ceremony, I don’t think I’ve never felt that much nerves.
‘But the heavens opened up on our wedding day, and everything went to plan. The walk itself… I could’ve done 50 times over that day because I was full of adrenaline.’
‘It was the most magical day for both of our lives,’ Mrs Harding told Daily Mail Australia
The bride said she was in the middle of a school talk when her boyfriend came and proposed to her in front of all the students
Speaking about her proposal, Mrs Harding said she was lost for words the moment her partner pulled out an engagement ring.
‘I knew it was coming but I had no idea how it was happening,’ she said, laughing.
‘Mark and I are really bad at keeping secrets so he actually came home one day from work and told me that he was in the process of having a ring made.
‘I was in the middle of a school talk when he came in and decided to do what he did, he proposed to me in front of all the students.
‘I was totally speechless, the first time in my life I had nothing to say to him. I actually hit him 30 times because I was totally embarrassed and overwhelmed.
‘It was just an incredible moment. We both always knew we’d end up getting married. We already shared the same dreams for the future – so everything fell into place.’
‘I was totally speechless, the first time in my life I had nothing to say to him. I actually hit him 30 times because I was totally embarrassed and overwhelmed,’ Mrs Harding said of the moment her husband proposed
For the past eight years, she made a significant progress through hours of physiotherapy as well as undergoing gruelling weight and strength training.
In 2009, the young woman was holidaying with her mother and best friend when she plunged into the shallow end of the pool – believing she was leaping into the deep water.
She found herself face down, struggling to move her body after hitting her head.
‘I was under the impression the entire pool was deep but when I dove in, I didn’t dive in far enough so I hit my head so hard, I felt my whole body jolt,’ she recalled.
‘When I couldn’t move my body, I thought I was just in shock. It felt like I was in the water for a significant amount of time. But after a few minutes bringing myself back up to the top of the water, I started to panic because I realised I couldn’t move. My friends had to pull me out.’
She was rushed to a hospital where she was placed in an induced coma after breaking her neck and back.
‘The fragments from my broken bone was piercing through my spinal cord,’ she said.
After returning from Bali to Australia, she underwent another surgery at a Melbourne hospital.
‘I was very lucky to have travel insurance, it’s the reason why I’m alive today,’ she said.
For the past eight years, she made progress through hours of physiotherapy as well as undergoing gruelling weight and strength training
When she was diagnosed, Ms Harding said she was told she was never going to walk, get out of bed or feed herself again.
‘I was an emotional wreck. I didn’t feel like me anymore. I was an emotional rollercoaster,’ she said.
‘I asked my parents to put me out of my misery… I felt like this was definitely not what I’d expect for a 20-year-old. I remember just two months before my 21st birthday, I asked my parents to put a pillow over my head.
‘But my mum was so reassuring. She’d done a lot of research and would tell me all the amazing stories about quadriplegics who were able to turn their lives around. She really gave me a lot of hope with my life.’
And after a seven-month battle in hospital, she was determined to walk again – and she certainly turned that dream into a reality.
‘It’s great to be able to take some step today, but in all honesty, I know I will not be able to have a functional walk again but my quality of life is so much better now than what it was when I first had the injury,’ she said.
‘I’m lucky considering my spinal cord wasn’t severed. I dedicated the last six years to rehabilitation and I feel so much healthier now. Walking is great but that’s not what I’m focusing on. I’m focusing on my quality of life.
‘My life is now fulfilled. I’m an motivational speaker so I share my story with anyone who wants to listen. And I’m helping people realise there’s so much more to life.
‘Life is there to be lived no matter what happens to you, you’re the deciding factor. You can push yourself, I know it sounds cliche but if you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything.’
Appearing on Nine’s This Time Next Year, Ms Harding made a vow to Karl Stefanovic that she will walk down the aisle to marry her partner
A year later, the Today host was moved to tears when he watched as Ms Harding made her way to the stage on her feet, with Mr Harding right by her side
Her next goal?
‘We definitely want to find a big land somewhere to build our dream home,’ she said.
‘We have three dogs, two cats and a horse at the moment. Sure babies are on the cards somewhere but we’re not in any rush, we’re just going with the flow.
‘We want to do a bit of travelling – I’m sure we have adventures ahead of us. In the meantime, we’re definitely having fun and working hard.’
Appearing on Nine’s This Time Next Year, Ms Harding made a vow to Karl Stefanovic that she will walk down the aisle to marry her partner.
And a year later, the Today host was moved to tears when he watched as Ms Harding made her way to the stage on her feet, with Mr Harding right by her side.
‘She makes me want to be a better human everyday,’ her now-husband told Stefanovic.
This Time Next Year continues on Monday at 8.40pm on Nine.
For confidential support, please call the 24-hour Lifeline on 13 11 14.