You never imagine it's going to be

You never imagine it's going to be you; the one yelling for someone to call 911, the one floating motionless in a pool, or the one whose story becomes an international media frenzy.

It was weeks before my wedding in 2010, and my four bridesmaids threw me the best bachelorette party I could ever dream of filled with dancing, dinner and fun. To cap off the perfect night, we decided to take a moonlight swim. When a close friend playfully pushed me into the pool -- two feet too far from the deep end -- I broke my neck upon impact, became paralyzed from the chest down and would never walk again. That night, the five of us all shared an unspoken agreement to never reveal the name of who had pushed me no matter what. Our bonds of friendship would not be broken.

Instantly, my story spread across the evening news and the Internet and I was dubbed the "paralyzed bride."

Unfortunately, I think people along the way forgot that there were real people behind the headlines.