Most brides spend months searching for the perfect accessories for their big day, but for one Cork woman, a knee-high cast and HSE crutches weren’t exactly what she had in mind.
Lower Killeens bride Lila Sullivan showed extraordinary determination and resilience on her wedding day to Owen O’Brien from Midleton last month, after breaking her ankle in two places just hours before the ceremony.
Speaking on the Neil Prendeville show on Cork’s Red FM this morning, Lila laughed as she recalled how what began as a “simple trip” the night before the wedding ended up with her being wheeled out of Powerscourt Hotel and into Loughlinstown Hospital.
“I was just going up to bed, saying goodnight to everyone who had arrived at the hotel for the wedding,” she explained. “I tripped over, felt something straight away in my leg, but when I tried on my wedding shoes, they were grand to walk in. So I thought nothing of it. The next morning at six, when I got out of bed, I realised I was in trouble.”
Lila said she initially felt shock, but quickly decided the wedding was going to go ahead one way or another. “My mind was wondering what am I going to do? But I thought, “I better get this sorted, the show must go on.”
Her make-up artist, who was from Bray, advised her to head straight to Loughlinstown Hospital. “The staff there were absolutely brilliant,” Lila said. “When I told them I was getting married today, they saw me immediately. They said it was the first time they had ever seen a broken ankle on a wedding morning!”
Doctors confirmed her ankle was broken in two places and fitted her with a plaster of Paris cast. Despite the setback, Lila said something came over her that morning, an inner strength. “I wasn’t going to let the accident ruin the day. People were telling me I was taking it very well, but I just thought, “it’s ok, we’re still getting married.”
Returning to the hotel, her hair and makeup team kept her calm, she said . “They were saying I was playing a blinder and that they had seen brides panic over flower arrangements and here I was on crutches and not a bother on me!” she laughed.
And true to her word, she walked down the aisle on crutches and even managed the first dance with her new husband Owen. “The guests were shocked at first, but they gave me so much praise. I kept going for them too, because people had travelled a long way. To be honest I didn’t even feel the real pain until the next day. It was pretty sore then, alright.”
Looking back, Lila describes her wedding at the stunning Powerscourt Estate in Co. Wicklow as “magical.” She even laughed about her wedding day memories and album, which will feature photos of her in a wheelchair and hobbling proudly on crutches.
Her cast only came off yesterday and she’s now in a protective boot as the ankle continues to heal.
It’ll always be a wedding to remember,” Lila said, proving that with the right attitude and a bit of mind over matter, even the biggest setbacks can be turned around.
