A recent wedding ceremony in Palmer Lake, Colorado, included an emotional surprise when bride Amber McConkey walked down the aisle after spending the past two years using a wheelchair due to multiple sclerosis. She was diagnosed with MS in 2015 and spent months preparing for her wedding through physical therapy and the use of a functional electrical stimulation device to help her relearn how to walk. She practiced repeatedly to build the endurance needed to walk the 68-foot aisle, with support from her father and brother during the ceremony.
Most of the couple’s 125 wedding guests didn’t know the bride planned to walk, with only close family members, the wedding party and vendors aware beforehand. As “Tangled Up in You” by Aaron Lewis played, McConkey walked down the aisle while guests and members of the wedding party became emotional, including her now-husband Brandon Goodrich and their three children. She says she felt overwhelmed with happiness during the moment.
Later in the evening, McConkey stood for the couple’s first dance before becoming tired by the end of the reception. She says she continues to attend physical therapy sessions and plans to keep working toward walking independently again. She also hopes other people living with MS continue pursuing their goals and not give up.
Source: PEOPLE