ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL — A Central Florida wedding day took an unexpected turn when Kapri DeRamus survived a head-on crash just hours before he was supposed to get married. Instead of walking down the aisle as planned, he ended up at Orlando Regional Medical Center with serious injuries, including two broken arms and other trauma.
Even with the wrecking impact of the crash, DeRamus and his bride, Tyasia DeRamus, decided they still wanted to go through with the ceremony that day. Hospital staff then helped transform the medical setting into a wedding venue so the couple could still exchange vows surrounded by close family.
Crash on State Road 436 leaves groom badly injured before the ceremony
According to information shared by Orlando Health, the collision happened on State Road 436 in Altamonte Springs and left DeRamus’s car crumpled on the side of the road. First responders rushed him to the hospital after the head-on crash, which came just hours before the scheduled wedding.
DeRamus said he was thankful to be alive after the accident. Tyasia DeRamus said looking at the damaged car and where he had been sitting made the survival feel like a miracle to her. The crash changed the couple’s timeline, but not their determination to marry that same day.
Orlando Regional Medical Center staff help build a wedding around the hospital bed
Once the couple chose to keep the ceremony on schedule, the wedding party headed to Orlando Regional Medical Center. Staff at the hospital quickly stepped in to make the day feel special, helping create a setting that was intimate rather than clinical.
A nurse gathered flowers from potted plants around the hospital and tied them together with rubber bands to make a bouquet for the bride. Tyasia DeRamus said staff also played music on their phones while her father walked her down a makeshift aisle and the couple’s grandfather officiated the ceremony at her husband’s bedside.
Family gathered as vows were exchanged amid monitors and injuries
The ceremony took place with close relatives in the room and the steady sound of hospital monitors in the background. DeRamus, still dealing with injuries to his arms and hands, said he wanted his ring in place and made sure it stayed there despite the pain.
He said the day was difficult because of the trauma he had just experienced, but he also saw the marriage as a sign of love and unity between the couple and their families. Tyasia DeRamus said the moment gave new meaning to the vows they were already prepared to make.
Couple says the wedding showed their vows in sickness and in health
Tyasia DeRamus said the hospital ceremony brought their promise into sharp focus because the couple was living out the phrase about sickness and health immediately. She described the day as a strong start to their marriage, even though it happened under circumstances they never expected.
The unusual ceremony also gave the family a shared memory during a frightening time. What could have been only a day of crisis became, for them, a celebration of survival, gratitude and the support of relatives and hospital workers who helped make the wedding possible.
Recovery begins after discharge, with Europe honeymoon still planned
After the ceremony, DeRamus was discharged from Orlando Regional Medical Center so he could begin recovery. He will need physical therapy and time to heal from the injuries he suffered in the crash before returning fully to normal life.
Even with that recovery ahead, the newlyweds already have their next goal in mind: a honeymoon in Europe once he is healed. The Altamonte Springs Police Department is investigating the crash.
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