Sometimes dreams do come true.
Nearly four years ago, Missy Parata-Tahuri was beside her partner Hemi’s hospital bed praying for a miracle after he had been shot in the head at their Karitane home in Otago.
Despite doctors giving Mr Parata-Tahuri a 1% chance of survival, he defied the odds and the couple discovered this week they are having a baby girl.
The past couple of years had been a whirlwind for the pair; buying their own home, getting married in December and now preparing to welcome their first child, Ms Parata-Tahuri said.
The news was made even more significant by the fact she suffered a miscarriage in February.
Their daughter was due in February, lending ‘‘a full-circle’’ feeling, Ms Parata-Tahuri said.
While the couple posted their gender-reveal video on social media this week, the mother-to-be said her intuition had been strong.
Ms Parata-Tahuri said she had dreams of a baby girl, and the feeling grew.
‘‘When we walked out of the scan, I said to Hemi that ‘it’s a girl - I just know it, I just know it, I just know it’.’’
Ms Parata-Tahuri broke down in tears when she got the confirmation.
‘‘I’m most looking forward to watching Hemi as a father and basically just giving the unconditional love that we do for each other to her, because we just have so much love to give,’’ she said.
‘‘We pretty much have our cups overflowing.’’
In October 2021, 28-year-old Krishan Dick-Karetai - after a prolonged period of obsession with Ms Parata-Tahuri - turned up at their home with a firearm.
When Mr Parata-Tahuri went to the front door, he fired.
The victim was rushed to hospital by helicopter, where doctors found the bullet lodged in the back of his skull was situated too precariously to be removed.
Mr Parata-Tahuri had to learn to walk and talk again, and he suffered seizures in 2023 which resulted in further hospitalisation.
Since then, though, his rehabilitation had progressed well.
Ms Parata-Tahuri said his speech was hugely improved and he was becoming more mobile every day, to the point where he now only saw a physio once a month.
‘‘The fact that we’re pregnant is motivating him even more,’’ Ms Parata-Tahuri said.
‘‘He’s just everywhere trying to do everything because he wants to help me.’’
Dick-Karetai, meanwhile, who was jailed for nearly seven years over the attempted murder, remains behind bars and will see the Parole Board again in May.
Ms Parata-Tahuri said, while the incident was inextricably part of their lives, Dick-Karetai no longer occupied their thoughts.
