Peter's story

Peter met Megan at a metal nightclub in Melbourne. Megan jokes she was, “in the wrong place at the right time.”

Years later, when Megan unexpectedly suffered a stroke at the gym, Peter would prove to be very much in the right place at the right time. Her future husband of ten years would help save her life. Just minutes away, working from home, his timely intervention would become part of Megan’s survival story.

The couple, now living in Auckland, have welcomed two beautiful daughters, Eden and Ava, into the world. Peter, who once worked in law enforcement, was helping juggle their two young girls at the time of Megan’s stroke.

“Keeping calm under pressure was part of my job.”

Peter was in a meeting when his wife called for help. It was late 2023. Normally, he wouldn’t pick up. He was thankful he did.

“I said to her, ‘Sit down, take a breather, call me back in 10 if you still feel the same.’ 60 seconds later, she called me back.”

Peter immediately took control of the situation. Firstly, calling the gym.

“I asked what was going on? Has anyone called an ambulance? I'm concerned, I know my wife, I know her voice, I know something's not right.”

“I'm pretty sure, when he arrived, he started telling people what to do,” Megan says.

That’s exactly what Peter did.

“Megan began vomiting and dry retching, and her condition was deteriorating rapidly. Inside, I felt a surge of panic. Thankfully, the ambulance arrived quickly. I couldn’t help but think—when someone is given that level of medication by paramedics and reacts this way, it’s clear something is seriously wrong”

At the hospital, Eden and Ava also struggled.

“It wasn't a fun time for them. I was in the high dependency ward. There were scary people everywhere - people in bandages with drips coming out of their head moaning and groaning … but I wanted to see them. I didn't know if I was going to live or die at that point. I remember being in hospital upset because on 1st of December, we always put the Christmas tree up together.”

Peter’s thoughts were elsewhere.

“I recall thinking how different Christmas could have gone as we put up the tree. I could’ve been left with two kids by myself, and I struggled to comprehend what that would look and feel like. It definitely made me more thankful for what I did have.”

When Megan returned home, Peter wondered what the new normal would be. He was now caring for the children, caring for Megan and keeping the house in order. Two of his lifesavers were online shopping and a supportive workplace.

However, the couple chewed through their savings reasonably fast.

“I recall reaching a breaking point and storming out of the house and all I could think of was, "stupid stroke" and wondering how I was going to find the energy to be the best support I could be?”

Peter encourages Kiwis supporting a stroke survivor to hang in there and keep talking.

“The thing with recovery is it’s very nonlinear. It’s a rollercoaster ride. Uncertainty can be quite daunting. In retrospect, I should've spoken about it more rather than sitting with it and struggling alone.”

“For me, I didn't really want to unload that onto Megan who was learning to walk again.’ Sometimes you think, ‘It's not so much wondering why it happened, but rather - when is it going to get better?' For Megan, it was more like, ‘Why did it happen? I was doing all the right things.’ You have to come to terms with what the professionals tell you.”

Peter found some of his answers by looking after his own wellbeing with counselling and by returning to the gym.

“I’ve learned to displace some of these emotions through exercise. I’ve adapted to a 4.30am workout just to get my body moving and have a bit of time to myself in those early hours and Megan is improving every day. You couldn’t ask for more than that.”

Life is returning to normal in the best place they can be - home.