THEY say a picture is worth a thousand words but for Karl Mueller, the photographs of the last moments he had with his partner of 45 years, who died from brain cancer in July, are worth far more.
The Bellevue resident attended the Wanneroo Swap Meet, on December 10, where $100 and his smartphone were stolen from his blue Volkswagen Kombi about 8.30am after he left them unattended to help a buyer carry goods to her car.
Mr Mueller said he was distraught, not about the money or the phone but the loss of irreplaceable photographs of his and Leonard (Len) Dundon’s faux wedding at Fiona Stanley Hospital.
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READ NOWIn 2014, Mr Dundon was diagnosed with lymphoma.
He was in remission but in February last year suddenly collapsed and was sent to hospital, where he discovered the cancer had moved to his brain.
A week before Mr Dundon died, he was taken to Fiona Stanley due to a delusional episode.
Mr Mueller said he had followed the ambulance but on the way was in a car accident.
“Someone ran into the back of me; I was unconscious and taken to Midland Emergency,” he said.
“The next day I took a train to visit Len and we joked that we didn’t need wedding rings with both of us wearing hospital bands.
“Two of the nurses must have overheard and suggested we have a ‘ceremony’ at the ward, so we did.”
Mr Dundon died in Mr Mueller’s arms on their anniversary.
“I couldn’t have shared my life with a better person; not many people can say that,” Mr Mueller said.
The incident has been reported to Wanneroo police. Any information should be given to Crime Stoppers.