IT HURTS EVERY DAY CLUTCHING the picture taken on their wedding day, devastated John Stead today opens his heart about the tragic death of his "beautiful" wife. The 37-year-old builder tells of the nine happy years he and wife Paula enjoyed together before tragedy ripped their family apart.
Paula, 32, was knocked down and killed on St Luke's Road, Ford Estate, as she walked home with daughter Bridie, 11, and second cousin Danica Green, 10.
Last Thursday, after staying late to finish a job in Penshaw, Mr Stead went to visit a poorly uncle in Grindon. Five minutes later, he received a call, saying Bridie had been knocked over.
He said: "I was driving down St Luke's Road when I saw all the blue lights. I just ran through the police tape and saw Danica first. Then I heard Bridie screaming for her mum."
Wearing Paula's wedding ring on his little finger, Mr Stead, who works in the family business with dad Ernie, 63, and brother Chris, 35, paid tribute to his "true love".
He said: "I can still remember the second I first saw her. It was nine years ago and our eyes met across a crowded room at someone's house party. It sounds like something out of that James Blunt song.
"We clicked straight away. We gelled. It's hard to explain but we were just meant for each other. That night we had a cup of coffee together and that's where it all started.
"We were inseparable. We'd have this thing where, before we went to sleep each night, she would say 'me and you' and I'd reply 'you and me'. That's how it was – us against the world."
Officially adopting Bridie as his daughter, the family moved into Westwood Street, off Hylton Road, before moving to Forest Road seven years ago.
Surrounded by friends and family, the couple wed at Sunderland Civic Centre on August 7 last year and held their reception at South Hylton's Golden Lion pub.
Mr Stead added: "Paula was the kind of person whose glass was always half full. She would see the good in anyone – no matter how bad they were.
Still in Sunderland Royal Hospital, she is recovering from an operation. The young Pennywell School pupil's right foot was badly crushed in the road smash, leaving her third, fourth and fifth toe dislocated.
Mr Stead said: "She knows her mum has died but I think she's blanked it out. We are just going to have to get through this the best way we can.
* Alan Steel, 26, of St Luke's Road, Sunderland, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving with no insurance, failing to stop at the scene and failing to report an accident.
This is cache, read story here
