A man who was told by doctors that he would never walk again after a motorbike accident has found the love of his life. Dan Metcalfe, 34, became paralysed from the belly button down after a crash in 2014, despite a six-hour operation at Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham.
Six years later, Dan, a scuba diver from Grantham, was proposing to Eve Metcalfe, 28, at Cleethorpes beach. They had met on Tinder and she was immediately impressed with his love of extreme sports.
After a few weeks of texting and talking over the phone, the pair met at the pub before going on two more dates. Dad-of-two Dan announced he was heading off to Lanzarote for hand cycling training, in January 2020.
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A week later she joined him out there but neither was prepared for a code red alert for COVID-19. The couple then found themselves trapped in a hotel room, in Lanzarote, Sands Beach Resort, for two weeks in isolation.
Despite the stressful situation the pair quickly fell in love - talking for hours into the night. On their return home, Eve decided to move in with Dan, a scuba diving instructor, and they married last year.
Eve, a procurement consultant, from Lincoln, said: "When I first saw his profile, I was amazed at how fit he was. He had a big grin on his face in each photo. I did notice the wheelchair, and at first I questioned if I could date a disabled person.
"The journey to falling for Dan was quick, but after spending two weeks locked in a hotel room together, it was hard not to love him.'' Dan added: "I found a woman that loved every part of me. I honestly never thought I would meet someone like Eve - she blew me away."
Recalling the moment he was told he would never walk again after the accident, he said: "I already knew that I wasn't going to walk again, I had made peace with it." A second crash in June 2018, when a car hit him during a 600-mile charity bike ride, left him with a compression at C4 in his neck.
The couple now continue their adventure - scuba diving, climbing, hiking around the UK. Eve is now officially qualified as a scuba diver, and Dan is attempting three scuba diving world records this month. She said: "I'm proud to call him my husband and my best friend.
"Thank god, I swiped right because if I had let my preconceptions guide my judgement I wouldn't be married to the love of my life.'' Dan added: "Eve's been a big rock in my life, and with her support I want to help others by raising some money with some world records."
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