NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP) – A paraplegic veteran from Indiana has defied his disability by pulling off a wedding surprise his new bride will likely never forget.
Sgt. Joe Johnson left his wheelchair behind for the first dance with his wife, Michelle, during their wedding reception in Noblesville. Johnson and his friends created a harness to help him stand for the dance. WGN-TV reports he kept his plan a secret from the bride, a wedding planner in Fishers, who organized every other detail of their wedding.
Wedding photographer Jennifer Davis says it was a beautiful moment that left everyone in tears. She says seeing Johnson's military groomsman literally support him made it even more emotional.
WTHR-TV reports the 27-year-old veteran suffered a spinal cord injury during a motorcycle accident shortly after he returned from Afghanistan and met his future wife.
The wedding was in June, but the couple gained national attention after a recent news interview.
