Valentine's special: Amy and Stuart

Former RAF Corporal Stuart Robinson was seriously injured in an IED explosion in Afghanistan. He was later supported by the Fund who helped Stuart to buy a specially adapted mountain trike to improve his quality of life. In this guest blog, Amy tells us about their life together including the day she first learnt that Stuart had been injured.

I first met Stuart in 1995 when he joined the Air Cadet Squadron I attended. It was no secret he fancied me, but I'm slightly older than Stuart so at the time I wasn't interested.

It wasn't until 2008 that we found each other on Facebook and decided to get together for a drink for old time's sake and the rest, as they say, is history. Our son George was born in 2009 and Stuart and I were married in June 2011.

Learning of Stuart's injury

I'll never forget the day when I got the news that Stuart had been injured in Afghanistan. There were two officers at the door and my heart was literally in my mouth.

Before I knew what was happening I heard myself say, "Is he alive?"

They immediately told me that he was and I looked down to see George looking up at them, taking a real interest. But I felt this wasn't something George should hear or witness so I quickly ran over to my friend Claire's house with him.

Even though she didn't live far away, it felt like an eternity to get to. Claire agreed to look after George while I spoke to the officers and I quickly rushed back to my house.

As I sat in the lounge with the officers they explained that Stuart had been seriously injured. He lost his left leg below the knee. It was all so shocking but I remained focused. I called my dad and told him, "Stu's alive but hurt. Come please".

When the officers left, I went back round to Claire's. George ran straight into my arms and I found myself being faced with what was one of the hardest moments of that morning. I mean, what do you say to a three-year-old? Do you tell him what you've just heard or lie? Thinking on my feet, I decided that I wouldn't tell George what had happened to his daddy just yet.

The next 24 hours were the longest of my life; all I wanted to do was hold Stuart and tell him it would all be OK.

Stuart's recovery

When I finally told George about his daddy, a few days after receiving the news myself, I don't think it really sunk in for him. He was still happy and smiling.

When George first saw Stuart when he returned to the UK, he asked if he could see his leg and we showed him the space where Stu's leg used to be.

Looking back, the time I spent with Stuart while he was recovering in hospital was the most time we'd spent together as a couple since getting together.

We would sit and chat about nothing for hours, cuddle up on Stuart's hospital bed and go for walks around the hospital grounds.

As strange as it sounds the time Stuart spent in hospital wasn't a horrible one, it was a time where he was defying the odds and shocking everyone with his fast recovery. I often look back and smile at the little things Stuart achieved during that period.

George still talks about life before Stuart's injury but the best thing is he treats his dad just the same as before. Both he and Stuart have just accepted everything that we've gone through and moved forward.

I can still remember the day Stuart's trike was delivered, how his face beamed as he unwrapped it. It's made such a difference to Stuart's life, and he and George love having races up and down the drive. The both of them are amazing.

By Amy Robinson