A Woman’s Post About Marriage Equality is Going Viral Following the Tragic Death of Her Wife

Marriage Equality is sadly still a dream in Australia.

A few weeks ago the tragic incident involving the death of a British man on honeymoon brought the need for reform into the spotlight.

Sadly again, it is a tragedy that has spurred one unique fight for freedom.

Sydney woman Lara Ryan took to Facebook to share her story following the tragic death of her wife in a car accident last year.

Ryan’s wife, Elise (pictured left), died after she was struck by a car while walking the couple’s four-year-old daughter from daycare.

According to Buzzfeed, Ryan recalls that “An old man got his accelerator confused with his brake”.

Elise’s unexpected and tragic death came just three weeks after she gave birth to the couple’s second daughter Skylar.

Ryan said the couple were never political about their life together.

“We had a wedding, we’ve lived together for ten years, we’ve had a baby. It’s never been an issue – I’m happy in my little life, there are bigger issues in the world.”

Following the heart-wrenching incident, the fact their marriage was not a legal one led Ryan to confusion and anguish amidst the tragic accident.

“I had to ask policemen if I was ‘allowed’ to write spouse on incident reports,” Ryan wrote.

The whole experience inspired the post Ryan shared on her Facebook which has since been shared nearly 55,000 times.

The post in full reads:

“This is why.

Because having lost my partner in a horrible pedestrian accident this month I had to ask policemen if I was ‘allowed’ to write Spouse on incident reports.

I had to cross out boxes for husband on the death certificate and boxes for father on our new baby’s birth certificate (both on the same day).

I had to yell out in a busy, crazy emergency room “She is my wife, I know it’s not legal but she is my wife!”

Because we were never political, we just did our thing, did our life our way and tried to live by example to shift people’s hearts rather than pushing agendas. BUT the amount of freaking paperwork I am having to do to secure mine and my children’s future welfare is just ridiculous when all it would take is one marriage certificate.

And most of all because I love her, and she has been my every day for ten years, she is the mother of our two girls, she is the future I dreamed of and she is my safe place to land.

Because love is love and we should celebrate it and encourage it always.

The world is harsh enough.

Feel free to share widely – #thisiswhy”