Last June, middle-school teacher Rachelle Friedman was preparing to get married. But then, a friend pushed her into a pool. Playfully. With no malice, Friedman says. She hit the bottom awkwardly, though, and the end result was that she was a quadriplegic.
A horrible, heartbreaking story, to be sure, but one that doesn't end with tragedy. Today, a little more than a year later, Friedman will marry Chris Chapman in Pittsboro, NC.
They both say they never considered the possibility of not marrying.
And she's also still friends with the woman who pushed her, who's a bridesmaid. Friedman has steadfastly refused to name the woman, and said the friend is suffering more than she is. ...
The quadriplegic in recent weeks has practiced for the couple's first dance, a special moment even if she will be in her wheelchair. Friedman's father, Larry, will push her down the aisle, so that she can hold a bridal bouquet as she approaches Chapman, 28.
"I can't compare our relationship to anyone else," she said. "I am super lucky to find that perfect love I wish everyone had."
Congratulations to them both.
Woman To Marry 1 Year After Paralyzing Accident [WXII 12]
Rachelle Friedman's Blog [Rachelle Friedman]
Bride-to-be looks beyond life-changing accident [CNN]