A Colorado bride diagnosed with multiple sclerosis surprised her wedding guests by walking 68 feet down the aisle on April 25.
Amber McConkey, 38, had relied on a wheelchair for the past two years.
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She underwent months of intensive physical therapy and used a specialized functional electrical stimulation device. The ceremony took place at Pinecrest Weddings and Event Center in Palmer Lake.
A Secret Goal
McConkey kept her physical therapy progress a secret from most of her 125 wedding guests.
Only the couple's parents, wedding party, coordinator, and photographer knew she planned to walk with support from her father and brother.
She was diagnosed with the chronic autoimmune disorder in 2015.
The bride utilized a functional electrical stimulation device from Bioness starting in January to stimulate specific nerves and muscles.
Her physical therapist mapped out the exact 68-foot distance during bi-weekly sessions. The goal was to build her physical endurance for the ceremony entrance.
Walking down the aisle was an essential milestone for her family, including her three children. She wanted to demonstrate perseverance.
"To me, walking down the aisle is just a huge part of becoming a wife and getting married," McConkey said.
"I'm very stubborn and I'm always going to work hard to try to walk."
She wanted to serve as a strong example for her 12-year-old son, 10-year-old daughter, and 8-year-old daughter.
"We have three kids as well. I want to show them that they can do anything," she said.
"It was just a non-negotiable to me. I was going to do whatever it took."
Intensive Preparation
The physical therapy routine included riding a motion bike to simulate the physical exhaustion she would encounter on the actual wedding day.
"Once there was a few times that I had made the 68 feet, it was, 'Okay, now let's put you on the new motion bike, and let's wear you out a little bit because it's your wedding day, you're going to get worn out,'" McConkey said.
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Her therapists intentionally pushed her limits to ensure she could overcome any physical obstacles during the high-pressure event.
"They were like, 'Let's wear you out.
Let's make sure no matter what obstacle there is going to be that you're getting down that aisle,'" she said.
McConkey entered the venue as the song "Tangled Up in You" by Aaron Lewis played. The music caused emotional reactions throughout the room.
"You can't predict the emotions you're going to have — the excitement, the adrenaline, everything," she said. Despite the physical difficulty, McConkey expressed complete satisfaction with her achievement.
"It's not the prettiest thing ever, but it was perfect for me, and I did it, and that's all that matters."
The bride recalled experiencing a mixture of humor and deep emotion as she moved toward the altar alongside her relatives.
"Everybody was crying, everybody was just looking at me.
I had my dad on one side and my brother on the other, just for support, I was just overwhelmed.
I was laughing, I was crying, I was awkwardly making jokes because that's just who I am. It was great."
A groomsman later revealed that seeing her in the wedding gown during the formal entrance intensified the emotional impact.
"He's like, 'When the door opened and the music played and we saw you in the dress, we lost it,'" McConkey said.
The emotional impact extended across the entire venue. "There wasn't even a dry eye in the room."
Her husband, Brandon Goodrich, 38, had previously seen a preview of the walk during a rehearsal the prior evening but wept during the official ceremony.
"I cried," Goodrich said. "All the groomsmen behind me cried."
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The groom expressed deep appreciation for the medical technology and rehabilitation efforts. "She said she was going to do it, and she did it.
And I guess I was just thankful enough that there was something out there that could help us make that happen."
The couple has been in a relationship for approximately five and a half years. Goodrich serves as a stepfather to McConkey's children.
"That's their father figure, and for them to see me marry their dad and for me to push to walk down the aisle, it was huge," McConkey said.
Later in the evening, the couple completed their first dance to Brantley Gilbert's "Fall Into Me" while standing and swaying.
"I didn't get to move around very much, but I was able to stand and I was able to do the sway and all of that.
By the end of the night, I was a little worn out, but for the father-daughter dance my sister stepped in for me.
So, it was beautiful."
McConkey intends to sustain her long-term rehabilitation efforts with a physical therapist based in Colorado Springs. "This is just the beginning for me," she said.
Her ongoing motivation stems from her familial responsibilities. "I have three kids and I'm not giving up.
I'm going to walk."
McConkey maintains a positive outlook on her condition and focuses on the daily needs of her young children.
"I'm doing it for me. I've always said that it could always be worse.
I can't look at a mess and be like, 'Okay, this is what it is.' Like, I have little kids.
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They need me."
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