In March of 2010, now 25-year-old Larry Ragsdale was driving to propose to his girlfriend Kelcie Yeoman (now Ragsdale). They had often talked of one day getting married in a dream Disney wedding. During his drive, Larry was hit by a drunk driver and ended up in a coma for months.
After four years, a lot of rehab, a private fundraising campaign by a relative, and a few sprinkles of pixie dust…Kelcie and Larry were married in a Disney wedding for the ages. One would think nothing could beat a wedding at Disneyland, but there is so much more to this story.
Per People:
“It was perfect,” Kelcie (now Ragsdale) tells PEOPLE. “It was magical. There were just so many exciting things that happened we weren’t even expecting.”
In March 2010, Larry, now 25, was on his way to propose to Kelcie when his car was hit by a drunk driver. Larry, once a star athlete, suffered severe head injuries and was in a coma for months. Kelcie got a job at the facility where he was going through rehab in order to be closer to him.
In August 2013 – with the song “Marry Me” by Train playing in the background – Larry surprised her with his long-delayed proposal.
Kelcie’s sister, McKenzie, quickly launched an online fundraising campaign – complete with a moving video about their love story – so the couple could get the Disney wedding they’d always dreamed of having.
The video quickly went viral, and on Sept. 4, that dream became reality.
Yet the day still managed to be full of surprises for the couple.
First was being upgraded to the Mickey Mouse Penthouse for their stay (which included a five-day honeymoon courtesy of Disney).
“I was just in awe,” Kelcie says of the two-bedroom, three-bath suite with a full living room and dining room. “I’ve never been treated like that in my life.”
The second surprise happened when she went to get her makeup done. She’d found out the makeup artist works closely with celebrity wedding planner David Tutera, star of WE TV’s David Tutera’s CELEBrations.
“I’d been joking with her, ‘Oh, you can bring David to the wedding,’ ” says Kelcie, who’s a huge fan.
“So she surprised me with a video from David Tutera saying ‘Congratulations. Sorry I couldn’t be there,’ ” she says.
“She sent the video to my phone as she was doing my makeup,” she says. “It was a great way to start the day.”
At the reception was the biggest surprise of all – a serenade from the music group Train.
“I’d seen the big TV in the room but didn’t think anything of it,” she says. “All of a sudden the band pops up on the screen and they’re talking to Larry and I. I was just speechless.”
It got better.
“Pat, the lead singer, said, ‘Your story is so inspiring that not only did we want to play this music for you but we wanted to invite you on our next Sail Across the Sun cruise in February,’ ” she says.
Then they sang “Marry Me.”
“I’m crying and Larry’s shocked,” she says.
Despite all the star power on her wedding day, Kelcie says there’s no question what her favorite moment was.
“Seeing Larry and getting to walk up the aisle to him,” she says.
Life hasn’t slowed down much since the wedding. The couple just moved into a new home in Grants Pass, Oregon, and are still unpacking and fixing things up.
Next on their agenda is the second honeymoon with Train in February – and someday, a family of their own.
“He’s like, ‘Right now. Today,’ ” she laughs. “I want to wait until we’re a little older. Before the accident we had the same discussion always. So we’ll see what happens.”
