'I nearly died': The health scare that led to Alessandra's proposal
By Lucia Hawley|
Alessandra and Julian's love story started in a lecture room at the University of Sydney.
"We were both studying physiotherapy," Alessandra tells 9Honey.
"We met in the lecture theatre in year one, and because the physiotherapy cohorts are really small we had lots of little interactions along the way."
The duo remained friends throughout their degrees, but Alessandra admits people they knew had picked up on chemistry between them.
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"We were good friends and we were also in a whole uni group. A few people were 'shipping' us together before it had even really crossed my mind," she says.
While university may not be the most romantic setting for a budding relationship, sparks eventually started to fly between Alessandra and Julian and over Easter 2019, they decided to make their relationship official.
"We hung out on the night of Easter Sunday and we watched the stars together. The next few days we just kept seeing each other and we were watching a movie on the Monday and he asked if we could be together."
Alessandra jokes, "I gave him a three-month trial period."
In the following two years, the relationship went from strength to strength until tragedy stuck.? In November 2021, Alessandra suffered a severe brain stem stroke. No one saw it coming.
"It was really, really bad," she says.?
"The surgeons had to tell my partner 'I don't know if she's going to wake up and if she does we don't know what state she'll be in.'"
"It was terrible, I nearly died."?
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Alessandra, who hails from Singapore, was thousands of miles away from her family and, due to the severity of the situation, Julian was ?handed the responsibility of making decisions on her behalf.
"I had to get operated on in Emergency, and because my parents weren't there they told Julian, 'You're the only one here so you need to understand everything and make all the decisions for her, we trust you,'" she recalls.
"I just thought 'if we can get through my stroke, then we can get through anything'."
Julian took on the responsibility and stayed by Alessandra's side for the two weeks she was in the ICU before she 'miraculously' recovered.
?"It was so crazy, he had such a big responsibility. You would never think that would be on anyone's shoulders at that age," she says.
"And I think that just speaks to how much my parents trust him now as well."
Alessandra says Julian's support helped her navigate one of the hardest periods of her life.
"He was there for me and was just so supportive, from cancelling everything at my work to just letting everyone know," she says.
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"In the hospital I just decided that he needed to know how important he is to me, so I decided I wanted propose to him."
The duo had spoken about marriage, so Alessandra knew it was the right decision. In hospital, she ?sought advice from a few of his friends who confirmed the proposal was a good idea and decided she was going to "swoop in and seal the deal.?"
"I just thought 'if we can get through my stroke, then we can get through anything'."
Alessandra began planning the proposal ?and decided she would get down on one knee at sunset while overlooking Sydney Harbour from Observatory Hill.
When the day rolled around, the duo strolled up the hill, where dozens of other people were also picnicking. ?Alessandra recalls struggling to get the ring out of her bag.
"He was very confused because I kept fumbling with my bag," she says.
"Then I finally got the ring out and got down on one knee. There were hundreds of people on the hill looking at us and loudly applauding and cheering."
"He's a very introverted person so he was little bit embarrassed," Alessandra continues.
"I had a speech planned, but I looked at his face and he was like 'No, not here!' He was totally dying inside."
After moving away from the crowds, Alessandra read Julian the speech and they celebrated together before joining friends ?for a barbeque.
"He means so much to me," Alessandra says.
"He was with me through it all, so I am happy I was able to show him that."
Alessandra and Julian are now planning two weddings จC one in Australia and one for her family and friends in Singapore.
A huge thank you to online wedding directory and planning service Easy Weddings for their assistance with this story.
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