A Boston Bombing Survivor Said Yes to the Dress

Confession? Bride Day Friday — TLC's wedding themed block — is my guilty pleasure. I have approximately zero intention of getting married anytime soon but I like pretty dresses, crazed women, and the blatant emotional manipulation of the audience. It's my thing, ok? And last Friday's episode of Say Yes to the Dress had all of that and more. Trust me, just try to watch this episode without getting all misty eyed. This very special Say Yes to the Dress featured a survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing on the hunt for the perfect gown to celebrate both her nuptials and her family's survival.

When the bombs went off in April of 2013 during the annual marathon, Rebekah Gregory DiMartino was standing less than 10 feet from the first explosion with her young son and soon-to-be-husband, Pete. "Pete was laying right next to me and I said ‘I love you’ and I really thought that was the last time I would ever be able to say that to him." Help, I'm sobbing.

The aftermath of the bombing would eventually take Rebekah's left leg but thankfully left her family intact. DiMartino and her husband said 'I do' back in April and her search for the perfect dress finally aired last week. Despite the difficulty of a spending a day trying on gowns — something dozens of women take for granted — DiMartino remained determined not to let the pain steal her bridal bliss. "Actually trying on the dresses was one of the most physically exhausting things I have ever done," DiMartino said. "I almost passed out from the sheer pain quite a few times, but I was determined not to let it stop me."

Of course, as per usual for the show, DiMartino ended up looking impossibly gorgeous on her wedding day and even more so because of her beautiful outlook on life and her family's crazy strength. "This has made me so much more appreciative of every single day," DiMartino noted in the episode. "It's a reminder that our days are not promised to us. I've been given a second chance at life and I'm not going to waste it." Aaaannddd I'm crying again...

Images: TLC.com