Bachelorette Party Prank Paralyzes Bride-To-Be, Rachelle Friedman (VIDEO)

A former bride-to-be is now paralyzed and has put off plans to marry after a bachelorette party prank went terribly wrong.

Rachelle Friedman was paralyzed from the chest down after her best friend and bridesmaid pushed her into the shallow end of a pool. Friedman, 25, snapped her neck and floated to the surface.

While Friedman and her fiance, Chris Chapman, remain a couple, health insurance has kept the pair from tying the knot. Friedman's health insurance is limited and she must rely on medicaid to cover the cost of her care. Marrying Chapman would mean that their combined income would disqualify her from receiving government help.

The former aerobics and dance instructor told ABC that she always worried about an incident like this:

"I was always kind of scared something was going to mess up my perfect world," she said. "It was literally perfect but it completely changed and that can happen to anyone."

"But I've learned that even if things do change you can still make your world perfect," she said. "It's just extremely different, we do everything differently now."

Friedman and Chapman expect to marry someday.

Go to ABC News to read more about Friedman's story.

WATCH:

Comments

[redwoodcitizen]

09:14 PM on 11/18/2010

I thought that was rather presumptuous of the reporter to say "needless to say, the wedding didn't take place"? I mean, the health insurance issues keep them from getting married, but otherwise, why should it be assumed that they wouldn't get married? Because she's paralyzed?

[mokienatrix]

08:01 AM on 11/20/2010

Not presumptuous at all--the bride was hospitalized and unable to make her own wedding. He didn't have a spare in the back, so no wedding took place.

The statement is not an assumption about their plans to marry someday.

[emmeaki]

06:21 PM on 11/18/2010

A couple of weeks ago I was standing at a street corner waiting for the light to change so I could cross and a teenage girl shoved her friend into the street just as a big van came speeding around the corner. He turned and saw it and stepped back, literally a split second before he was about to be hit. The boy was joking afterwards to the girl saying, "You almost killed me." and she was apologetic (while laughing too), but this kid really was a few seconds away from death or serious injury. There are certain situations you just don't play around in.

[FrancisII]

04:27 PM on 11/18/2010

These two young people give me hope for the future.

[yioughta]

12:34 PM on 11/18/2010

What a tragic outcome from a freak accident caused by just your average horseplay. She has an amazing outlook though, it's quite beautiful actually.

[mitzvah]

11:57 AM on 11/18/2010

Very very sad on so my fronts.

[JohnBZ]

10:49 AM on 11/18/2010

One more reason not to have a pool in your backyard. Pools are expensive to build and maintain, occupy too much space, are almost always under utilized and most importantly can be dangerous.

[emmeaki]

06:15 PM on 11/18/2010

No, this is a reason not to pull dangerous "pranks", not a reason to not have a pool.

[ilexwhite]

10:38 AM on 11/18/2010

Medicare for all!

[peskime]

10:28 AM on 11/18/2010

She is an amazing person and I hope she'll walk again

[dulceburro]

10:10 AM on 11/18/2010

Wow. This is an awful story.

[blaharumph]

11:58 AM on 11/18/2010

glad her fella stuck with her and is supportive... especially since the senate isn't one bit supportive or caring about the populace in general at all.

[WestOfTheSun]

10:04 AM on 11/18/2010

So many folks just want to crucify her bridesmaid. You know what? They were enjoying a night of fun and a terrible accident happened. That's it.She's moving on and apparently has forgiven her friend for what happened. Seems good enough to me.

[lib2dbone]

12:41 PM on 11/18/2010

Where do people draw the line?? Pushing a person in front of rush hour traffic? It that the only difference between being a sociopath or simply being immature?

[JackLewis]

01:16 PM on 11/18/2010

Your ability to forgive someone who has done nothing to you is pretty inspiring...
The question is whether or not the bridesmaid will ever forgive herself, and should she even try?

[layman]

08:35 AM on 11/18/2010

Too much fun and game, got carried away.

[SouthernBlueBelle]

08:10 AM on 11/18/2010

Don't the people who pushed her in have any liability? Insurance or otherwise. Sure it was a done with no evil intent, but I thought we all fore consequences to our choices, for good or bad.

[polkarde]

08:04 AM on 11/18/2010

This just proves the old adage that, 'true love springs eternal'.

[JaxReader]

11:24 AM on 11/18/2010

Beautiful moniker photo.

[Sockme]

07:47 AM on 11/18/2010

Poor her, but that's life. Accidents happen.

[milomilano]

07:46 AM on 11/18/2010

From the full article;
"We got home, ran upstairs and changed into our bathing suits," said Friedman. "My best friend -- and she still is my best friend -- she playfully pushed me in like we've done a million times."