A man has wed his partner in an emotional lockdown hospital ceremony as he waits for a life-saving heart transplant.
Steven Cairns and his new wife Katie, from Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, donned full PPE as they said their vows with their delighted families watching over video link yesterday.
Celtic fan Steven, who is gravely ill at the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank after suffering heart attacks, was overjoyed to receive the news minutes before the ceremony that not only was he to receive a new heart, but his club had been crowned league champions.
Sadly, the heart transplant fell through at the eleventh hour, but Humanist Les Gray told the Record nothing could dampen the joy of the couple’s special day.
He said: “They’ve been together a long time and had wedding plans before Steven took his latest heart attack and they wanted to still go ahead.
“Steven’s condition is very serious because his heart is being kept going electronically. He cannot be detached from the machines.
“It’s the first PPE wedding I’ve done and it was a great day. The family were looking on via the iPad. There was a Zoom call going on and they watched it live online.
“It was relatively short because the longer you’re in there the more dangerous it is. But when Steven’s better we’re going to have a longer service for them to reaffirm the vows with the family there.
“It was very emotional and the hospital were fantastic. It was very emotional for the staff too.”
Katie said her vows dressed in a beautiful strapless gown, tiara with full protective equipment, while Steven wore a shirt and waistcoat with a flower buttonhole.
The couple were even able to cut their three-tier wedding cake.
Thoughtful staff at the hospital made the couple’s day extra special by decorating the room with flowers and helping capture the special moment on camera.
Hoops fan Steven was just celebrating the news that his team had been handed the Premiership title for the ninth time on the bounce when he was told a match had been found for a heart, with a transplant expected to go ahead that evening.
Les said: “The news came through minutes before the service. Because we thought he was going to get his transplant there was a real buzz in the air.
“There was some kind of complication with the heart so it didn’t go ahead.
“He is stable but hopefully one day they will find a match for a heart. I’m devastated for them, but they’ve got their chins up so hopefully they get another chance.
“There are more people on the transplant list now that ever so I’m confident for them it will happen.
“They were on cloud nine yesterday and it was wonderful to see.”
