Nikki Salgot was on cloud nine when her boyfriend, Sgt. Collin Rose, proposed to her. The couple from Missouri planned to get married on October 14, 2017.
But just months later, the sergeant from Wayne State University was shot in the line of duty. He passed away at the hospital at the age of 29.
Nikki suffered an unimaginable loss.
Then, almost one year after his tragic death, the grieving woman decided there was something she needed to do, no matter how difficult it seemed at the time.
The results quickly went viral, and now people all over the world are finding inspiration in her show of absolute strength…
Nikki Salgot was smitten with a kindhearted and generous man named Collin.
Sgt. Collin Rose was a five-year veteran of the Wayne State University Police Department in Detroit.
When Collin proposed, Nikki was absolutely thrilled.
She couldn’t say “yes” fast enough!
The elated couple set their wedding date for October 14, 2017.
But then, tragedy struck.
Just months after Collin’s proposal, he was shot on duty while investigating a car theft.
Collin passed away at the hospital on November 23, 2016.
For a very long time, Nikki was so overcome with grief that she couldn’t bring herself to open up about her fiancé’s death.
Nearly one year passed, and Nikki decided she needed to do something for herself… and for Collin.
She moved forward with her wedding photo shoot. Only now, she would be posing all by herself.
Nikki planned to present her family with the photos on what would have been her and Collin’s wedding anniversary.
Rachel Heller, a talented wedding photographer and Nikki’s former classmate, was more than happy to head into the woods with her to take the photos.
The brave bride wore the gorgeous gown she’d already bought for her wedding.
“She was the picture of grief and resilience and strength and vulnerability and authenticity, all at once,” Rachel told TODAY.
Collin was always so proud to be a police officer, so it was very fitting that Nikki posed with his flag, cap, and police badge.
“There were moments when Nikki would shift her dress around, or step on it and start laughing,” Rachel told TODAY.
“I wanted to capture those moments, too, to show that she can still laugh.”
Nikki broke her silence to express her gratitude to Rachel in helping her make the photo shoot possible.
“She captured images that still vividly show the pain left behind; images that show I am still able to laugh, smile and be me; images that show this loss has not and will not destroy me; and my favorite, images that show I am still just as fierce as ever and refuse to let this define me.”
“This is a woman who is not broken,” Rachel says. “To me, she is an inspiration.”
Though Nikki acknowledges it’s been difficult seeing her story get so much attention, she says the photos remind her of how much she and Collin loved one another.
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