Just weeks before her wedding, four of Rachelle Friedman's friends threw her a bachelorette party. At the end of a perfect evening of dancing and celebration, they decided to take a moonlight swim. One of her friends playfully pushed her into the water . . . two feet too far from the deep end. That chilling moment changed their lives forever. Rachelle broke her neck and was paralyzed from the chest down. She would never walk again.

The Promise is a powerful memoir of resilience, love, and loyalty. On the night of the accident, the five girls made an unspoken agreement to never reveal the name of the friend who had pushed Rachelle into the pool--and their bond has remained unbroken. As Rachelle undergoes a physical battle for her life, her friend struggles emotionally to prevent one moment in time from defining her forever. It's the story of true integrity; it's also about finding the incredible strength inside each of us we never knew we had.

Also a love story, The Promise chronicles Rachelle and Chris's relationship, their struggle with her paralysis and rehab, the physical challenges of intimacy, and ultimately, their fairy-tale wedding.

Rachelle Friedman, once a program assistant at a senior's activity center, is now an advocate for those with spinal injuries. Rachelle has appeared on The Today Show, MSNBC, and has been written about in numerous worldwide publications. She and her husband live in Knightdale, North Carolina with their two dogs.