One of the worst days of Ryan McLeod’s life turned into one of the most beautiful. A car ran over him in a crosswalk, trapping his leg beneath it. It took emergency services 40 minutes to reach him through gridlocked traffic. But he met Kirsty.

The story is absolutely brutal. Not only did the driver run McLeod over, but they panicked and parked the car directly on top of his leg. He had to bang on the driver’s side door and shout to get them to move the car. They backed up too far and hit him again. McLeod said, “I was run over twice, but I only remember being pinned down and banging.”

To make matters worse, bumper-to-bumper traffic kept safety services from responding to the crash immediately. A passerby who happened to be a first responder administered aid. Another passerby sat behind McLeod and cradled his head in her lap.

“I didn’t see Kirsty’s face as she sat behind me propping me up.” But it’s a face McLeod hopes to see for the rest of hislife.

Kirsty Southern couldn’t ignore the man in the street

Kirsty Southern had been at the pool early that morning. She was just leaving when she heard a crash. “From where the swimming pool was, I glanced up and saw this man go under a car.”

The scene was terrifying. “He was banging on the side of the car. Some lady was screaming she was a first aider.”

Even though the other bystander had medical training, Southern knew she couldn’t just leave the man. “I went behind him to tell him to lean on me to make him comfortable.”

Southern admits she noticed how attractive the crash victim was. She even checked whether he was wearing a wedding band. Then emergency services finally arrived and took him away in an ambulance.

“I had a little Facebook look as I knew his name afterwards. I didn’t message him, just a look.”

Southern later noticed McLeod’s plea for witnesses on Facebook. It was just the opening she needed. She reached out several weeks after the crash. Soon the pair were dating.

Four years later, they’re married. And of course, they returned to the sidewalk where the accident occurred to take their wedding pictures. That’s a surefire way to turn one of your worst memories into one of your best.

“I still struggle, wear an ankle support, and have regular physio. But it’s how I met my wife, so I’d say it was worth it.”