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Police officer wakes up paralyzed, marries from hospital bed

After a devastating diagnosis and a month of not speaking, Osiris Elhosseiny got his voice back and was eager to wed the love of his life.
/ Source: TODAY

Omar Elhosseiny's life changed the moment he woke up on June 29.

The 26-year-old Pasadena police officer was set to marry Osiris Elhosseiny on July 10 at a Los Angeles chapel, and then jet off to the Maldives the following day for their honeymoon.

paralysis hospital wedding
Omar and Osiris Elhosseiny exchanged vows at Methodist Hospital of Southern California.Courtesy of Methodist Hospital of Southern California

But he woke up that morning to discover he couldn't move, and even fell while attempting to get out of bed. He was taken to Methodist Hospital of Southern California, where he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder in which the immune system attacks the nerves.

"He has no heath conditions and doesn't smoke or drink," Osiris Elhosseiny, 23, told TODAY. "This completely came out of nowhere."

After almost a month of not speaking, he got his voice back July 24 and was eager to marry the love of his life. The hospital staff, hoping to fulfill his wish, started making arrangements so the couple could marry the very next day.

RELATED: Dying man marries fiancee in hospital, gets glimpse of unborn granddaughter

paralysis hospital wedding
A pastor officiated Omar and Osiris Elhosseiny's wedding at Methodist Hospital of Southern California.Courtesy of Methodist Hospital of Southern California

While some of the staff worked on hiring a pastor and buying a cake, Terry Knowles, a nurse at the hospital, took on the responsibility of decorating the room.

"I felt compelled to do this for the couple," Knowles told TODAY. "If they're going to get married at his bedside, it's only right we make it as special as we could for them. They deserved that."

RELATED: Pregnant mom relives paralysis of Guillain-Barré amid Zika virus scare

Knowles and her two daughters took a late-night trip to Walmart to get decorations and a bouquet, which she spray-painted with glitter. She wanted to surprise the couple.

"When I walked into the room and saw the beautiful decorations, I couldn't help but get emotional," Osiris Elhosseiny said. "We just made the most of what we were able to do, but couldn't have done it without help from the hospital."

paralysis hospital wedding
Omar and Osiris Elhosseiny with Methodist Hospital of Southern California's staff and family membersCourtesy of Methodist Hospital of Southern California

The room quickly filled up with family, hospital staff and officers from the Pasadena Police Department, where the bride also works as a dispatcher — and where the lovebirds first met five years ago.

"You could feel the love inside the room that day," Knowles said. "To watch Osiris hold Omar's hand and shed tears of love for him was just incredible to watch."

RELATED: Hospital workers rally to throw cancer patient a surprise wedding

paralysis hospital wedding
Omar and Osiris Elhosseiny kissed on their wedding day.Courtesy of Methodist Hospital of Southern California

Omar Elhosseiny was taken off his breathing tube Monday and is currently going through physical therapy at Kindred Hospital San Gabriel Valley.

"I feel so grateful to have had Omar as a patient and can't wait for the day he walks through the door and just keeps going," Knowles said.