Why the viral photo of this bride is all kinds of inspiring
On October 3rd, Sarah Ray’s wedding day was interrupted by a horrible call. Just an hour after she and husband Paul had tied the knot in Clarksville, Tennessee, her dad and grandparents were in a car accident.
But Ray wasn’t about to wait and hope for the best; she’s a first responder, and went straight to the scene to see what she could do to help, without changing out of her wedding dress. Now, the photo of Ray on the scene (taken by her mom, Marcy Martin) is going viral, with over one million people seeing it in just four days.
“I just hate that everyone uses the word ‘hero,’” Ray told WTVC Monday. “It’s not heroic. That’s just what we do every day, and it was family. I believe any other first responder would do the same thing. It just happened that I was in a wedding dress.”
Ray has been a paramedic for five years, and this isn’t the first time she’s been called to the scene of an accident while wearing something other than a uniform. As soon as she and her husband got to the scene, she hopped right into the ambulance to see if she could help.
“I trusted my co-workers to know what they are doing,” Ray said. “We were just there to check up on the situation. It doesn’t matter if it’s your wedding day or not.”
“Professionally, Sarah is an outstanding paramedic and exemplifies what it means to work in EMS,” Chief Jimmy Edwards told WTVC. “Personally, she is humble and compassionate and sets a good example for us all. We are all very proud of her.”
Luckily, everyone was OK. But before leaving the scene, Ray’s mom snapped a photo of the lovely bride walking away from the ambulance. It’s a striking image, and the Montgomery County EMS shared it on their Facebook.
“How dedicated are you to your job?,” the caption reads. “Sarah Ray, paramedic with Montgomery County Emergency Medical Services, was photographed on her wedding night working the wreck of one of her wedding guests. Now that’s dedication . . . she stopped to assist on the way from the wedding to the reception! Thank you, Sarah, for loving what you do!”
Ray may not think of herself as a hero, but her ability to act fast and come to the aide of loved ones without thinking twice is so inspiring. Congratulations to Sarah and Paul, and we’re so glad that everyone was alright.
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[Image via Facebook]
