After surviving a freak accident at sea, Kelly James has something special to celebrate
When Kelly James’ soulmate Dion Lawson dropped to one knee and proposed after a romantic dinner, she was so stunned she could only whisper “yes” and gaze into his eyes as he slipped the ring onto her finger.
A year earlier, on Boxing Day 2006, Dion had also knelt beside Kelly, but on that occasion he was willing her to keep breathing after she was crushed by a dolphin during a boat trip.
“Before the dolphin hit me we were serious about each other, but after the accident we knew we couldn’t be apart,” says Kelly, of Auckland. “Dion never gave up on me. His commitment and support has made me realise how special he is. I’m a very lucky woman.”
It was while nursing Kelly back to health that Dion (34) knew he never wanted to be without this incredibly brave woman. “When you’ve got feelings for someone and then you nearly lose them, you don’t want to muck around any more,” says Dion.
“The accident had shown how strong Kelly is and that she’s not the type of person to be resting on her laurels and waiting for things to happen. She fought for her survival and I’m very proud of her.”
on 26 December 2006, the couple were enjoying a scenic boat cruise off the Coromandel Peninsula with some friends when a 300kg dolphin leaped out of the water and landed on Kelly. She was taken to Auckland Hospital with life-threatening injuries, including bruising to the brain, a fractured vertebrae, every rib broken and her pelvis cracked in four places. Both her lungs collapsed and her liver was torn.
As Kelly fought to make it through those crucial early days, Dion was her rock while her parents flew over from Australia. The couple first met two years ago at a bar but they only dated for a couple of months before deciding to split up.
“We were at a point in our lives where we had both just come out of long-term relationships and the last thing we wanted was something serious,” says Kelly.
But it was during their period apart that they knew their feelings for each other were stronger than they first thought.
“When I saw Dion I would get butterflies in the stomach and he’d make me all weak at the knees,” says Kelly. “We couldn’t deny there was chemistry between us.”
A chance encounter at a friend’s party, just six months before the accident, brought the pair together again. “The timing was better for both of us by then,” says Dion. “We were willing to make that commitment and give it a good go.”
But they had no idea what was ahead and when the dolphin hit Kelly, Dion was determined not to lose her again. His love for Kelly paid off. After two months in hospital, during which Kelly learned to walk again, she was discharged. But the legacy of that day will always be with sales rep Kelly, who will have chronic pain and need physiotherapy for the rest of her life.
Soon after Kelly was discharged, friends and family began putting pressure on Dion to pop the big question. “People expected me to ask Kelly to marry me soon after she recovered,” says Dion. “But I wanted the proposal to be special and so the timing needed to be right for us.”
Kelly had convinced herself that Dion was going to propose on Boxing Day 2007, a year after the accident, to wipe away the horrific memories of that day. But Dion chose a romantic weekend in Queenstown in November to propose.
“I wanted to hide the ring, so I suggested we take separate suitcases,” says Dion. “But I didn’t want Kelly to cotton on, so I just packed one bag for us and hid the ring in one of the shoes I was wearing.”
A dinner at their favourite restaurant was the setting for the proposal. As they finished the meal, Dion got down on one knee and asked Kelly to marry him. “I was so blown away I didn’t even look at the ring,” laughs Kelly. “When I finally looked down at the beautiful diamond ring, I was absolutely thrilled. He has impeccable taste.”
The couple plan to marry sometime next year, either in Auckland or Australia. After such a close brush with death, Kelly is optimistic about the future. She is constantly recognised on the street, thanks to the national and global media coverage of the freak accident.
“I understand why people are interested in me because what happened to me was very bizarre. But I don’t want to be known as ‘the dolphin girl’ for the rest of my life,” she says. “There is more to me than just that. I’d much rather be known as ‘Kelly Lawson hard case’!”
Dion understands why Kelly always seems to draw people to her and why her story is a source of inspiration. “Even when it looked like she wouldn’t pull through, she did. Then she learned to walk again, and now she is determined to make the most of her life,” he says. “And that’s why I love her.”
