A groom who uses a wheelchair stunned his bride by rising to his feet for their first dance – with the help of his groomsmen.
Andy Teodoro, 34, had spent months secretly preparing for the emotional wedding-day gesture, which left his wife Michelle speechless and guests in disbelief.
Andy, who lives in San Francisco, California, suffered life-changing injuries in March 2019 when he was struck by a stray bullet during a gang shooting while walking to meet friends for dinner in the city.
The bullet ruptured his spleen, diaphragm and left lung, clipped his spine, and remains lodged in his left chest wall.
Andy nicknamed the bullet Kevin, but the injury caused a T10 ASIA A spinal cord injury and has left him using a wheelchair ever since.
He and Michelle had their first date in December 2022, before Andy proposed in February 2024.
The couple, who are originally from the Philippines, tied the knot in a civil ceremony in California in June 2024.
But ahead of their big wedding celebration back home, Andy said one moment stayed firmly on his mind: the first dance.
He wanted to give Michelle something unforgettable.
After searching social media for ideas, Andy came across a video of a wheelchair-using groom being lifted to his feet for his first dance – a moment he admitted brought him to tears.
From there, he committed to making the same kind of beautiful gesture happen for Michelle.
In the months leading up to the wedding, Andy worked on the dance with his personal trainers at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
He also spent time using a standing desk for paraplegics to help ensure his legs were strong enough to last through the dance.
Then, on February 27, at Blue Leaf Pavilion in Taguig City, Philippines, Andy and Michelle made their grand entrance in front of guests who had no idea what was about to happen.
As the first dance began, wedding coordinators placed chairs on either side of Andy’s wheelchair.
His best man and one groomsman sat beside him, while another groomsman stood behind the chair.
The two men on either side strapped Andy’s legs to theirs with Velcro.
Then, on the count of three, all three helpers lifted the groom to his feet.
An emotional Michelle walked toward her standing husband and wrapped her arms around him as they shared their first dance.
Friends and family watched in disbelief as the couple held each other through the powerful moment.
Afterward, Andy’s mom shared a video she had taken on social media, where the post gained more than six million views on one platform.
The couple’s professional videography team also shared their footage, which received an outpouring of love online.
Michelle said: “I walked toward Andy and wrapped my arms around him, and in that moment, it felt like we had our own little world on the dance floor.
“I was so overwhelmed with emotion.
“In that moment, I couldn’t see or hear anyone else.
“It was just me and Andy.
“And I know it might sound cliché, but all I could think about was how proud I was of him.
“Seeing him stand for our first dance felt like such a clear picture of who he is.
“How he’s shown up for himself through his injury, how he continues to show up for the people he loves, and how he’s shown up for me with so much resilience and strength.
“I was also just so grateful for his brother and friends who helped make that moment possible.
“It’s not something Andy and I get to experience on a regular day, so having them step in and support us like that made it even more special.
“I savored every second of it.”
