Darmon expressed with determination, “Imagining the walk with my dad is crucial. I will be walking down the aisle. It’s not a possibility or a perhaps. It’s absolutely going to happen.”
Post-accident, Darmon presented Belawetz with a challenging decision. She informed him that if he felt the need, he could end their relationship, and she would understand.
“I reiterated a few times, ‘You don’t have to stay if you don’t envision this in your life forever,'” Darmon shared in her interview with ABC News. “I thought I would spare him.”
During this time, Darmon had to commute 45 minutes from her home in Windsor, Canada, to the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan in Detroit, utilizing a modified car with a hand-crank accelerator.
Despite the obstacles, Darmon and Belawetz remained resolute. Through numerous surgeries and frequent physical therapy sessions, Belawetz stood by Darmon’s side since their 2006 encounter at the bank where Darmon worked.
“Obviously, she’s a very, very pretty girl, which was the main attraction,” admitted Belawetz, revealing that her attractiveness kept him “going to the bank.” According to ABC News, the young paramedic visited the bank three times a week.
As their love story unfolded, punctuated by moments of tragedy, it culminated in marriage four years after they first met. Belawetz proposed on the couple’s anniversary in 2010.
“The accident made me realize that if there is something you want to do, do it while you can,” he reflected in an interview with ABC News. “If you have people close to you, let them know.”
Their heartwarming journey captured the attention of viewers globally, evident in a video recounting their story that garnered over 3.5 million views since its 2011 upload.
Although Darmon’s current condition is unknown, advancements in science provide hope. A study from Ruhr-University Bochum in Germany suggested gene therapy could help paralyzed mice regain mobility, raising the possibility of similar breakthroughs for humans, potentially offering renewed hope to individuals like Darmon.
While there haven’t been public updates on Darmon’s progress since their 2011 wedding, Belawetz received recognition in a 2014 Southwest Ontario Regional Base Hospital program report for his role, along with colleagues, in assisting with the birth of a child outside of a hospital—an accolade that aligns with his heartwarming and inspiring love story
