By Angela Mollard
A decade after she vanished and hid from the world for nearly five years, Natasha Ryan is marrying the man who helped conceal her…
Unlike other brides, it’s not the dress or the ring or the spectacle of the day that delights Natasha Ryan most about getting married, but the simple act of shedding the name “Ryan”.
“I don’t want it. I’m sick of being known as Natasha Ryan — ‘the girl in the cupboard’. I made mistakes and I’m sorry that I hurt my family, but now I want to start a new life.”
It is five years since Natasha was found hiding in a wardrobe in Rockhampton by police, but this is the first time she and her fiancé Scott Black have agreed to be photographed together.
The couple, who have a four-year-old son, Corey, are hoping their wedding later this year will bring a sense of healing after years of heartache for them and their families. Scott, who admitted lying to a court during his fiancée’s disappearance, spent a year in prison after being convicted of perjury during the committal hearing of a serial killer who had been wrongly charged with Natasha’s murder.
Despite all the horrific consequences of this couple’s actions, there is no doubt that they love each other deeply…
For the full story, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on sale September 8, 2008).
