Accident prompts an impromptu wedding

The chaplain spoke about love conquering adversity. Some in attendance cried.

In many ways, it was a perfectly ordinary wedding.

Except there was nothing ordinary about it.

The ceremony for Timothy Schlappi and Lacey Vollentine took place in room 7-C-29 at Maricopa Medical Center on Wednesday afternoon.

Timothy, who has been in the Navy for 13 years, was part of a parachute-jumping exercise in Eloy on Aug. 10.

He had jumped in the service more than 850 times.

But somewhere between the plane and the ground, something went wrong.

Timothy has no recollection of the accident.

"I collided into a parked car, evidently," he said. "They say I tried to get up."

The crash was violent.

"It didn't look good," said Curtis Larsen, who was also part of the exercise. "It didn't look good at all."

Timothy was flown to Maricopa Medical Center. He had fractures in his right leg and ankle. He also broke some vertebrae in his back, but was not paralyzed. His smashed left leg was the biggest concern.

"He was in very bad shape," said Dr. Sydney Vail, medical director of the trauma surgery service. "We weren't sure he would be able to keep that leg."

Lacey, 25, and Tim, 33, had met when she was in the Navy.

They were engaged, but not in a rush. They wanted to save some money before a wedding.

Lacey was at home in Virginia when she got the call the night of the accident.

The next day, she was on a plane to Phoenix.

She touched down, left her bags on the carousel and jumped in a taxi. She made it to the hospital just before Tim was wheeled into surgery.

"He looked up at me and he grabbed my hand," she said. "I said, 'Baby, do you want to get married now?' He looked at me and said, 'Yes.' "

Talking about getting married is one thing. Actually doing it in a strange city is another.

They needed a chaplain. Fortunately, the hospital has one.

"I'd rather marry them than bury them," Gail Torres said.

Rita Heath helps run Forever Courage House, a home for families of long-term patients. She decided a wedding needed a cake.

So she stayed up until 3:30 Wednesday morning making a two-tier vanilla cake with cherry filling.

All that was left was the marriage license, but Lacey could not leave the hospital to get one.

Pete Murtha served in the Marines and is now the Forever Courage House manager.

"Never tell a Marine that something can't be done," Murtha said.

He made a few calls. A friend at the county dropped off the license Wednesday morning.

"I'm always happy to help a Navy man get a life sentence," Murtha said.

Lacey had her own arrangements to make. First, a dress. She found hers Tuesday night at David's Bridal. It cost $99.

Wednesday, she needed the finishing touch, her hair.

"I found a place. I don't know where I was. Somewhere on McDowell," Lacey said. She walked in the door.

"I said, 'I'm getting married in an hour. Somebody needs to do my hair.' "

Timothy couldn't get married without a shirt and a tie. But he was stuck in bed.

Fortunately, the Navy told Larsen to stay in Arizona to help his friend. So on Wednesday, he went shopping.

He found a plain white shirt and a handsome black tie at the Men's Wearhouse.

"I guessed on the size," he said when he got back to the hospital room. "Is large all right?"

Timothy saw his face in the mirror. He had not shaved since his accident.

Larsen found a razor and some shaving cream. Then he shaved his friend's face.

All that was left was the tie. Timothy couldn't do it, and Larsen couldn't do it for him.

Finally, Dr. Vail tied the knot.

When it was done, Timothy looked at what Larson had done for him. Then he looked down. "Thanks, buddy," he said quietly.

The wedding had a best man.

Just before 1:30 in the afternoon, a crowd of nurses and doctors entered room 7-C-29. Everybody wanted in.

Vail held up his cellphone, which played the Lonestar song "Amazed" as the bride entered the room. She was beaming.

The couple held hands. The chaplain spoke about love and commitment and adversity.

"I think you've already had your adversity," Torres said.

Finally, she pronounced the couple husband and wife, and said they should kiss.

So the new Mrs. Schlappi leaned over her husband's bed, and they kissed.