Paramedic bride leaves wedding to respond to car crash
A Tennessee bride and paramedic went above and beyond the call of duty when she left her wedding to respond to a car crash that involved members of her family.
Just an hour after exchanging "I do's" with her new husband, Sarah Ray of Clarksville, Tenn. received a call that her father and grandparents had been involved in an automobile accident a few miles away.
"We were still at the church," Ray told ABC News. "Paul [her husband] and I are both paramedics and a lot of our groomsmen and bridesmaids are also. My father, grandmother and grandfather were all riding to the reception and we all stayed behind. We just knew they had been in a wreck and the car had been totaled. We didn't know any injuries at the time."
After hearing the shocking news, the 29-year-old and her husband jumped in a car and rushed to help without second thought. Upon arrival at the accident, Ray's mom captured an image of the paramedic bride, still in her wedding dress at the scene.
"We had stopped at accidents before and in regular clothes," Ray said. "It just so happened that this time, I was in a wedding dress."
Ray says her grandmother was hospitalized for injuries to her forearms in the crash and that her dad suffered minor injuries as well. Her grandfather was not injured. While many people are praising Ray for her good deed on her wedding day, she says it's all part of the job.
"There are a lot of people that are using the word 'hero,'" Ray told ABC News. "I don't think what we did was heroic. It's just anything that any first-responder would have done."
Ray's colleagues have praised her for her selfless efforts. Chief Jimmy Edwards, paramedic and registered nurse in Montgomery County, said that he plans to hang the image of Ray in her wedding dress in the office.
"Professionally, Sarah is an outstanding paramedic and exemplifies what it means to work in EMS," Edwards said. "Personally, she is humble and compassionate and sets a good example for us all. We are all very proud of her."
