Today marks not one, but two very special occasions; not only is it the first wedding anniversary of one of our gorgeous couples, Helen & Lawrence, it’s also mini Fuzilier, Torran MacDonald’s first birthday! Although these two occasions are momentous in their own right, we reckon the person who connects them deserves a bit of recognition as well. Enter Celebrant extraordinaire, Alicia MacDonald!!
When pregnant Alicia was asked if she would conduct the wedding ceremony of friends and former housemates, Helen & Lawrence, on a sun-soaked beach on the Scilly Isles, she was delighted. The wedding was scheduled two weeks prior to Torran’s due date and Alicia was confident he wouldn’t make an early appearance due to her first baby, Fearne, being so late. Despite her confidence, Alicia and husband, Sandy, intuitively packed a hospital bag and carseat just in case; after all, that old saying – ‘the baby will come when he’s good and ready’ – hasn’t been doing the rounds for hundreds of years for nothing.
And that’s exactly what happened when dear Torran decided that he’d had quite enough of life in utero! Maybe it was the brisk island walk enjoyed by the hen party the previous day, maybe it was the fresh, salty air or maybe little Torran just wanted to join in with the celebrations, but on the morning of the wedding ceremony Alicia began getting twinges. Cool as a cucumber and in complete denial, Alicia decided that the twinges were simply the normal aches and pains associated with the late stages of pregnancy.
The wedding was scheduled for 2pm and the twinges were becoming more frequent, but being the true professional she is, nobody at the ceremony knew that Alicia was in fact in labour. Thankfully, it wasn’t until after the ceremony that the situation really began to escalate and by 6pm it was time to make some phone calls; however, with the local midwife on annual leave, the island doctor unable to deliver babies and the air ambulance on another callout, Alicia was essentially stranded on an island, but amazingly remained completely at ease with the situation.
Thankfully Alicia wasn’t stranded for long as chopper champions, the Newquay Coastguards, stepped in to save the day. Then, flying at 1400ft above Cornwall en-route to Truro Hospital, Alicia’s waters broke and four pushes later, with the aid of Paramedic Ed and midwife Linda, a gorgeous, healthy and bouncing bambino entered the world!
Wee Torran MacDonald is one of only two babies in the country to have been born in a coastguard helicopter, so he has started life with a major claim to fame. Alicia & Sandy are forever grateful to the Newquay Coastguards and the team who helped bring Torran safely into the world and this weekend they’re heading back down to Cornwall to thank them on the anniversary of all that excitement!
The Newquay Coastguards are an essential part of the emergency services in the southwest and if you would like to show your support, the Newquay Coastguard Association are currently fundraising for £3000 worth of welfare equipment. You can find out more here.
From all of us at Team Fuze:
Happy 1st Birthday to Torran
Happy 1st Anniversary to Helen & Lawrence
BRAVO to Newquay Coastguards
HIGH-FIVE to superstar Celebrant, Alicia!!
