But the actions of his fiancée helped him survive a sea dive that went tragically wrong.

t first when her fiancé Anthony Hunter dived into the sea and didn’t come up, Imogen Bushell thought he was joking.

“He’s always playing jokes and I thought this was another,” she says.

But she quickly realised something was seriously wrong when, after what seemed an eternity, Hunter failed to surface. Charging into the water in a desperate rescue bid, 21-year-old Bushell somehow found the strength to drag him out with one arm while frantically waving for help with the other.

Hitting his head in the dive and almost drowning, Hunter (23) has been left paralysed from the shoulders down. But he has no doubt he owes his life to Bushell’s quick thinking.

“I was on my own (they had been out running and he was waiting for her to catch up) but I had a weird feeling I should wait for her before diving in,” says Hunter. “I did, and that is the reason I am here today.”

It’s been almost two years since the accident at Pt England Beach in Auckland yet the tragedy has brought the couple closer together. Bushell has abandoned plans to study for a nursing degree, instead putting her life on hold to care for Hunter fulltime — and next month they are to be married in Rarotonga.

Their love and devotion in the face of misfortune has been recognised by ASB which has named them as the latest recipients of the ASB Good as Gold award, with the bank giving them $10,000 towards their wedding and honeymoon.

“It would have been easy to lose hope faced with the challenges that have come following the accident,” says ASB Counties/ Waikato regional manager Mark Hayward.

“I’m sure neither Imogen nor Anthony ever imagined their lives being changed this drastically, but they haven’t given up,” he says. “Instead they have shown how strong they both are, and how strong their love is for each other. We’re humbled by their story and thrilled to be able to help contribute to what will undoubtedly be an amazing wedding.”

The day that was to change their lives forever — January 8, 2018 — began around 9am when they went for the run in Glen Innes where they were living at the time.

Wanting to cool off, Hunter decided to dive into the water from rocks at nearby Pt England beach. As he dove in he recalls hitting his head on something hard.

“I’m not sure what I hit, but I was a bit dazed and tried to stand up,” he says. “I couldn’t, so I tried to crawl to get to shallow water. But I ran out of breath and gave up.” himself) and some use of his right hand so he can hold a glass or cup.

Bushell says she never had any doubts about looking after Hunter: “For me it was a priority and I didn’t want strangers coming into the house to look after him. It’s tough seeing the things he has to go through, but I’ve got to be emotionally strong for him.”

Hunter and Bushell were nominated for the Good as Gold award by Lisa Sharpe, Bushell’s mother: “They have an amazing relationship and have made it look so easy but I know every day for Anthony is a struggle with hospital appointments, physio, medical procedures and operations, yet he never shows it.

“Through all this Imogen’s love for him has never faltered,” she says. “There is so much I could say about them and their journey, but it would not do them justice.”

Since the accident Hunter and Bushell have moved to Morrinsville, where they have bought their first home and are looking forward to their wedding.

“We’ve never been to Rarotonga but we chose it because we wanted a small ceremony,” says Bushell. “We’ll have about 10 people with us and we’re planning to stay for a week. We can’t wait.”

Anthony Hunter