Rachelle Chapman, a bride paralyzed after a pool accident at her bachelorette party has overcome obstacles and thrived in life. The accident rendered her a quadriplegic but that didn’t stop Chapman from becoming a wife and mom.
Bride Paralyzed at Her Bachelorette Party Now Is a Thriving Wife and Mom
Chapman was able to move past the accident and even marry the man of her dreams despite the disability, but there was still one thing that Rachelle called “the missing piece” to the home she shared with her husband, Chris.
Facebook
But this is one fighter who has chosen to become better—instead of bitter—out of her struggles.
RELATED: 9 Quotes About Forgiveness That Will Transform Your Heart
“I didn’t blame her for hurting me, because we’ve all pushed somebody in a pool, and I was very supportive of her,” said Rachelle. The first year I made sure that she was OK, even more than me.”
Facebook
“We were happily wed for a long time, but then I felt that I really wanted a child with Chris,” she told TODAY.
Facebook
And finally, the couple is getting to celebrate a milestone that at one time seemed impossible: their beautiful baby girl, Kaylee!
Facebook
Through the help of a surrogate, Rachelle was able to live out the dream of motherhood so deeply ingrained in her heart.
It has now been two and a half years since this little bundle of joy came to bless the Chapman household with her infectious giggles and playful spirit.
And while motherhood presents a unique set of challenges for the disabled mama, she tackles them each day with a SMILE.
RELATED: 10 Things I Wish I Could Tell My Younger Self for a Happier Future
Even though Rachelle can’t walk, it brought unspeakable joy to her heart to see her daughter take her first steps with the help of her wheelchair to prop her up.
“She got a lot of practice holding on to the back of my chair. She would pull up and hold on to the wheel, and then walk to the back and hold on to the bar in the back,” she told TODAY. “My wheelchair was good practice for her. She would basically push my wheelchair. It was so cool she learned how to do that.”
While she can’t physically care for her in all of the ways that she wishes, Rachelle has made the most of her limitations and revels in the special ways that she can show affection to her daughter. Before she turned one, Kaylee even figured out how to crawl out of her wheelchair-accessible crib onto her mama’s lap.
“It’s really hard to just to pick her up and pull her towards me, so this tactic works,” she said. “And she figured it out on her own. Knowing that I can’t reach out and pick her up like everyone else, she just crawled onto my lap on her own.”
Rachelle has received a great deal of criticism from people who say she’s selfish for having a child as a quadriplegic, but she says that milestones like these make all of the harsh words worth it.
Facebook
Rachelle remarked that people rarely question the capability of single parents, but for some reason, she’s been targeted with criticism despite the fact that she has a fully capable husband, on top of her own mother who helps with Kaylee as well.
“I want people to realize, yeah, even though my fingers don’t work, I have found a way to manipulate my hands to do a lot of things,” Rachelle told TODAY. “I can hold Kaylee. I can feed Kaylee and I can play with her while Chris is washing bottles or whatever. We have a system that works for us… And beyond love, Kaylee has a house over her head and food in her tummy. She’s a happy, happy baby who doesn’t realize that I’m different. This is normal for her.”
“When I was in the news, people commented that I couldn’t be a good mom,” Michelle wrote in a Facebook post last week. “But, do you see that face? That’s one happy kid.”
Facebook
We couldn’t agree MORE. Many blessings to this beautiful family—and especially to this strong mama who refuses to let public criticism and physical limitations limit the adoring love she has for her little girl.
You are TRULY an inspiration. ❤️
