This bride was accidentally paralysed by her best friend. Here's why she's not angry

One night in 2010 changed Rachelle Friedman's life forever.

You never imagine it's going to be you; the one yelling for someone to call 911; the one floating motionless in a pool; 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. In a playful gesture, a close friend pushed me into the pool. I broke my neck upon impact, became paralyzed from the chest down and would never walk again.

• Rachelle Friedman

But Friedman didn't give up. As soon as she was able she began to play adapted sports such as hand cycling and adapted surfing. She and her fiance got married a year later and they've just had a baby through surrogacy.

Friedman has made it her mission to tell her story to inspire other people to make the most of their health and happiness.

On a Reddit AMA she was asked if she's still friends with the woman who pushed her in the pool.

I am not angry about the push itself. It was an accident and I've done it a million times. I think most people can say they've pushed someone into a pool playfully.

Other questions she tackled about living with her disability included how it feels when strangers try and help her in public:

It really bothers me when people rush over to help... It's me wanting to grasp onto any independence I still have.

And the challenges of looking after a newborn:

I have limited dexterity so none of it is easy. Takes practice and I couldn't really practice before I had an actual baby. [[Changing nappies] on a doll and a squirming baby are two completely different things.

Despite the tragedy Friedman remains an optimistic person. She has written a book about her experiences and a documentary is being made about her life.

“Why waste your time harping on insignificant things?” Friedman writes on her website.

Believe in defining your life by the positive moments and not the negative.