ORLANDO, FL — An Orlando couple turned a wedding day emergency into an unexpected hospital ceremony after the groom was badly hurt in a head-on crash while traveling to the venue on Sept. 5. Kapri DeRamus and Tyasia Thomas were married Saturday after the crash disrupted their original plans, according to their attorneys at Osborne, Francis & Pettis Law Firm.
DeRamus was injured when another vehicle crossed lanes and struck the car taking him to the wedding in Altamonte Springs. The couple later spoke publicly for the first time about what happened, describing a day that started with a celebration and quickly became a medical crisis.
Crash on East Altamonte Drive sent three people to the hospital
Altamonte Springs police said the collision happened around 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 5 at Hermits Trail and State Road 436, also known as East Altamonte Drive. The law firm said a vehicle crossed the lane and hit the car DeRamus was riding in on the way to the wedding venue.
Police said two adults and one juvenile were taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The crash happened only about an hour before the ceremony, creating an immediate scramble for the bride, her family and medical staff who were trying to respond to the accident and the planned wedding.
Doctors treated broken arms, jaw and rib after the collision
According to the law firm, DeRamus suffered a significant laceration to the knee and broke both arms, his jaw and a rib. The injuries were serious enough that he was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he remained hospitalized until Wednesday afternoon, when he was released.
DeRamus described the crash as disorienting and said he was not fully aware of what was happening in the moment. He said he felt overwhelmed after being struck and credited his survival to faith. His wife said seeing him in the ambulance was deeply upsetting and made her fear she could lose him.
Bride and family rushed to ORMC after wedding plans collapsed
Tyasia Thomas said she was at the hospital with her family after learning that her future husband had been in a crash and was being transported for treatment. The law firm said she got the call just an hour before the wedding ceremony, while relatives were already gathered for the event.
Instead of postponing the wedding, the couple decided to move forward once DeRamus was stabilized. Friends later gathered that evening at ORMC, where the couple exchanged vows in a multipurpose room while he was still recovering in a hospital bed.
DeRamus’s grandfather officiated the ceremony inside the hospital
The hospital wedding brought the couple’s families together under circumstances neither had planned. According to the law firm, DeRamus’s grandfather officiated the ceremony, giving the event a personal touch even as it took place far from the original reception site in Altamonte Springs.
The couple had originally chosen an event center for the celebration, but DeRamus’s hospitalization changed the setting and the pace of the day. Thomas said the experience was traumatic, yet she and DeRamus chose to treat the hospital room as the place where they would begin their marriage.
Couple says six years together made the hospital wedding worth keeping
DeRamus said wearing the ring during a difficult medical ordeal mattered to him because it represented the relationship he and Thomas had built over six years. He said the wedding symbolized love and the life they expected to build together after the injuries and shock of the crash.
The couple’s attorneys said they are not yet commenting on whether any legal action will follow. They said they are waiting for final reports before deciding what, if anything, to do next. For now, the focus is on recovery, a new marriage and the medical and financial strain that followed the accident.
Online fundraiser launched to help with medical and income losses
An online fundraiser has been started to help the couple with medical expenses and lost income. The need for financial support comes as DeRamus recovers from his injuries and the couple adjusts to the disruption caused by the crash on what was supposed to be their wedding day.
What began as a routine drive to the ceremony ended with an ambulance ride, a hospital stay and an improvised wedding inside ORMC. The couple’s decision to marry anyway gave the day an unexpected ending, but one that they said still reflected the commitment they had planned to make.
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