A WOMAN tied the knot with her husband in hospital just 48 hours before he died — and has shared her story to raise awareness of his disease.
Mike Reynolds, 51, married his partner of eight years Lara, 38, from Cornwall, in a heartwarming ceremony, which the bride had organised in just one day.
Mike, who used to work as a delivery driver, was experiencing breathlessness for several months before doctors discovered pulmonary fibrosis — which causes scarring in the lungs — this May.
Mike was hospitalised at the end of the summer and just days after tying to knot in September, surrounded by close friends and family, Lara had suddenly become a widow.
Describing the wedding as ”heartbreakingly beautiful”, the 38-year-old said: ”It was what we’d always wanted to do — we just thought we had more time.”
Mike had been struggling with breathlessness in January this year, and began the long process to find the cause.
At first, doctors suspected a chest infection, but the couple kept pushing.
Despite having numerous appointments, the experts still had no answers, with one doctor even suggesting that the symptoms might be a result of anxiety.
On 8 May, after seeing both private and NHS doctors, the delivery driver was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis — a condition that affects 70,000 people living in the UK.
”They initially signed him off because they thought it was a chest infection,” Lara said.
”One doctor asked if he thought it was all just in his head, and asked if he’d tried yoga.
”It was a very emotional time. He was struggling to do normal things, but he was also still working, still active, and still Mike.
”When he was diagnosed, our world turned upside down.”
Mike continued to attend doctors appointments and receive treatments available, whilst the loved-up couple continued to make the most of their time together.
After his health declined drastically towards the end of summer, the 51-year-old was hospitalised for three weeks, before returning to hospital just one week after release.
”We got some little oxygen tanks — we called them Ghostbusters tanks — and we changed our lives,” Lara said.
”We were careful to not be around large groups of people to avoid infection. We changed how we did everything,” she added.
She said: ”We were doing alright — we’d planned to go away in May; we’d planned to do a lot of things.
”He couldn’t fly anymore, but we could drive, so we went on driving trips.
This is the definition of the condition according to Mayo Clinic.
The experts said: Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred.
This thickened, stiff tissue makes it harder for the lungs to work properly.
Pulmonary fibrosis worsens over time. Some people can stay stable for a long time, but the condition gets worse faster in others.
As it gets worse, people become more and more short of breath.
”Then the 28 August hit us, and he was just grey. I had to call 999 and rush him into hospital, and he was there for three weeks.
”He was released on the Monday, and he had one whole week at home.
”He could barely walk up or down the stairs – it was very traumatic for him.
”’We decided to get him back to hospital, and then he got worse.”
Finding comfort in speaking to the hospital chaplain, Mike began discussing his final goal — to tie the knot with the love of his life, Lara.
The 38-year-old began planning an intimate ceremony in the hospital right away, where they were surrounded by their closest family and friends.
”He spoke to the chaplain and found a lot of comfort in that,” she said.
”He mentioned that we were supposed to get married, but didn’t, and the chaplain said he could make it happen.
”Mike was adamant that it was happening. The chaplain said it could happen in 24 hours; it was happening in 24 hours.
”I had 24 hours to organise our wedding. I did it, and then at 2pm on 27 September, we were married.
”It was beautiful; it was upsetting. It wasn’t what either of us wanted, but we had family and friends there.
”His best friend said it perfectly — you don’t need all of the fancy dresses and hundreds of people, it’s about love.
”Our wedding was about pure love. It was what we’d always wanted to do — we just thought we had more time.
”It was hard and it was emotional, but it was our day.”
On 29 September 2024, just two days later, Mike passed away.
He didn’t get to shout it from the rooftops that I was his wife — that’s all he wanted
Lara Reynolds
Lara now hopes to share their story to raise awareness of pulmonary fibrosis and urge anyone experiencing breathing issues to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Pulmonary fibrosis causes scar tissue to form in the lungs, which makes the lungs less stretchy and stiff. This can make sufferers feel short of breath.
”He didn’t get to shout it from the rooftops that I was his wife — that’s all he wanted,’ Lara said looking back on her wedding day.
”From the moment that he got diagnosed to the day that he died was four and a half months — and nobody knows what pulmonary fibrosis is.
”Friends and family thought he would be alright, that it was only a lung disease. I don’t think anybody except for me and Mike knew how serious this actually was.
We did get answers, just a little bit too late
Lara Reynolds
”The average time after diagnosis is 2-5 years, but we’d heard of people that have had it for 10 years. He had hope that he was going to live until he was 60.
”We might have been a couple of months ahead and he could have been put on different drugs or put on the transplant list,” Lara went on.
”I don’t want another family to go through what we’re going through right now. It shouldn’t be like this.
”Take things seriously, listen to your body, and keep pushing for help.
”I constantly had to fight for Mike and to try and get people to listen to us.
”We did get answers, just a little bit too late.”
