Simon and I met 11th November 1996. We got engaged on the 2nd June 1997 and married on the 17th January 1998. Our daughter Emily was born on the 8th February 1999. On the 21st March 2015, Simon and a friend went to watch Cambridge play Southend United. I spoke to him on this day and he was having a fantastic time. I went to work at 8pm on this night so wasn't going to see Simon until I returned home at 8am the following morning, but at 11.30pm my world was turned upside down. I was visited by two police officers at my place of work who informed me that Simon had been brutally attacked and was left fighting for his life. Distraught and emotional I called my parents and daughter. I travelled home to collect Emily where my sister was waiting for me. I drove us to Southend and I stupidly believed that Simon would not be as bad as the officers had said. How wrong was I? Simon was on a ventilator and in a coma. He had suffered a traumatic brain injury, the right side of his head was double in size and this resulted in a cardiac arrest. It took the paramedics 7 minutes to restart his heart.
Seeing Simon so vulnerable and dependent on the machines broke my heart. The man I love was now clearly fighting for his life. Three times I was told that Simon would not survive. I could not imagine my life without him in it. There were many times I was unable to breathe through the tears. I prayed so hard that he would wake up and be the man I married. Simon is now unable to do anything for himself. He cannot walk, he is dependent on all his care needs, he is fed through a tube and is unable to sit independently. Simon remained in hospital for almost a year returning home to us March 16th 2016. We are hoping that the house can be adapted to meet his needs, as at present Simon is in a hospital bed in our dining room. Unfortunately the council have just rejected our plans to extend the house. I would also like to put a message out that one stupid punch can destroy lives.