Amnesia Spoils Newlyweds' Bliss

June 30, 2005 -- -- What if the person you married forgot who you were before you even made it to the honeymoon?

For one Texas couple, marriage became a blind date when the groom came down with amnesia days after stating his wedding vows.

"In my eyes, I saw her as a stranger, but in her eyes, she saw me as her husband," explained Sean McNulty, whose health problem began when he disappeared on the way to their honeymoon.

Amy and Sean McNulty's wedding day started with the usual fanfare, but ended with a shock. One of Sean's good friends was in a serious car accident after the event and ended up in a coma.

The newlyweds were reluctant to leave his side but were encouraged by family and friends to make the honeymoon trip according to plans. At the airport, as they prepared to head off on their trip, another mishap would occur.

"We parked our car and took a shuttle bus to the terminal," Amy explained to "Primetime Live" co-anchor Chris Cuomo. Sean "realized that he had forgotten his wallet. And he said, 'Well, it's probably in the car, you know, I'll be right back.' "

But he didn't return.

Amy grew increasingly nervous as she waited for him in the terminal. They both ultimately missed the flight. Amy contacted police, who found the missing groom wandering near a motel three days later. He was disoriented, covered in bug bites and had no concept of his identity.

"I said … 'Do you know your name?' " said Amy. "And he said 'no' and, and I said, 'Do you remember who I am?' and he just shook his head. It was very scary."

Sean could not recall any personal details from his life. He forgot his favorite foods, even how an orange tasted, and did not recognize his mother or new wife.

"Well see, I didn't know what 'wife' and 'mom' were at the time" said Sean.

For the new bride, the challenge was defining a marriage to a man who viewed her as a stranger. "I wondered, you know, is he going to remember me? How is our relationship going to — you know, form?" said Amy.