WHEN Daniel Tran woke up on a CT scanner after a devastating fall at work, he didn’t know if he’d ever walk again; let alone stand at his own wedding.

In February 2024, Daniel, a heavy machinery mechanic, fell nine metres from a scissor lift when one of the legs became unstable. He was rushed to Westmead Hospital and was looked after by the Trauma Services Team. Both his legs were shattered, and he suffered a spinal injury that required the care of multiple specialist teams in the Trauma Unit.

He was placed in an induced coma for five days.

Over the next year, Daniel endured 27 surgeries and spent four months in hospital followed by six months in rehabilitation. Throughout those months, Westmead’s trauma nurses and doctors became like family. They kept his spirits alive during times when he thought all hope would be lost after such a life-changing accident.

One nurse, Matt, made it his personal mission to lift Daniel’s spirits. “Even when he was dripping with sweat from pushing me around in my wheelchair,” Daniel recalls, “Matt would take me outside, just to feel the sun again.”

Just before Christmas, Daniel was discharged. He spent Christmas and New Year’s at home. For him, it was “the best gift of all.”  But going home was just the beginning. Daniel set himself a new goal – to stand at his wedding to say his vows to his fiancée, Sandy. Every step, every stretch, every painful physio session brought both progress and setbacks. Week after week, he worked tirelessly with his physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and psychologists, celebrating each small milestone as a victory.

Their wedding had originally been planned for May 2024 but after the accident, it had to be postponed.  Finally, with Daniel home and steadily regaining his strength, they were able to begin planning the wedding again, determination and hope renewed. Just 11 days before their special day, Daniel received the news he had been waiting for – he was cleared to stand.

“I want to be able to stand up for my own wedding,” Daniel said. “And I did.”

Through his hard work, perseverance, and the unwavering support of the Westmead Trauma team, Daniel not only recovered – he got to celebrate one of life’s most meaningful moments exactly as he had dreamed.