Couple all heart
Girlfriend pops question after health scare
AFTER surgeons operated to save Chris West’s heart for the third time in 25 years, his partner Mel Abra figured she’d better claim it for life.
AFTER surgeons operated to save Chris West’s heart for the third time in 25 years, his partner Mel Abra figured she’d better claim it for life.
Freshly convinced time was nothing if not precious, Ms Abra asked for his hand in marriage as he recuperated i n Royal Melbourne Hospital with a new pulmonary valve.
‘‘ Seeing things like this makes you realise life’s too short,’’ she said through a beaming smile yesterday.
‘‘ Thankfully, everything went according to plan, but I just thought, what if it hadn’t?
‘‘I thought, I’m not waiting, I just don’t want to spend another minute without planning to be his wife.’’
Of course, Mr West said yes and now he’s the one wearing a ring as they look to many years ahead.
‘ ‘ W e ’ r e engaged, we’re looking to the future, building two families and I’ve got the best missus i n the world,’’ he said.
Mel is mum of Wyatt,
‘I thought, I’m not waiting, I just don’t want to spend another minute without planning to be his wife’
– MEL ABRA
4, and Zara, 21 months, and Chris is father to Rose, 7.
They are both 25, went t o Newcomb Secondary College together and met again by chance about nine months ago.
‘‘It was inevitable — have you ever met anyone you knew you were just supposed to be with?’’ Ms Abra said.
Mr West was born with three heart complications — his aorta and pulmonary arteries were transposed, he had a hole in a ventricular wall and he had a defective pulmonary valve.
His sternum was sawn open for corrective surgery for the first time when he was four, again at 16 and now that it’s done again surgeons have told him he might not need another operation for 25 years.
‘‘He would have to be one of the strongest people I’ve ever met, so courageous and he’s got the biggest heart,’’ Ms Abra said.
‘‘He keeps on giving, and giving and giving, and just doesn’t let anything let him down.’’
Mr West said he was focusing on recovery when she surprised him with the proposal and tears of joy followed as the news circulated.
‘‘It was the talk of the ward, my girlfriend proposed to me,’’ he said.
Friends have hailed the couple’s news as heart- warming after some tough breaks, including the death of Ms Abra’s mum, Wendy Berzanskis, at 50 due to a brain tumour almost two years ago.
Ms Abra will wear purple for her wedding in November next year, acknowledgement of her mum’s favourite colour.
Friends hope the couple will be able to realise their dreams of a simple garden wedding.