MOODY, TX — Last September, Lesly Paniagua was fighting for her life at Baylor Scott & White in Hillcrest on what was supposed to be her wedding day. On Saturday, she was finally able to walk down the aisle.
An ATV accident just days before the originally scheduled date left her suffering from a fractured spine and severe brain injuries. She was finally released from the hospital in November.
"I'm happy that I'm alive," Paniagua, now Sanchez, said on Saturday.
Family and friends gathered to see the long-awaited moment that the two tied the knot.
"After all the therapies, after everything that happened, she was finally able to walk down the aisle, which is what she's always wanted to do," said groom Jerry "J.D." Sanchez.
The McGregor natives were even able to dance together, something that was originally thought to be an impossible feat after the accident. Family and friends looked on and smiled.
"I don't know why this happened, but it has really brought a lot of people together," said Jerry's mother, Alesia Sanchez. She said the family received an outpouring of support online.
She also thanked the medical staff at Baylor Scott & White for helping Lesly recover from September's accident.
"They are such a blessing and I claim blessings over all of them," Sanchez said.
The couple is looking forward to a honeymoon in Florida next month. Jerry said he's excited to take Lesly to Disneyworld. After that, they both mentioned they're already thinking about starting a family.
"It was really good to have everybody here that has supported us through this whole thing," Jerry said. "We're just happy to have this day."
Lesly is continuing to undergo therapy for her brain injuries in Austin. A GoFundMe is still available for people to donate to help the Sanchez family afford medical expenses.
