Enid, Okla. — What was meant to be a fun and memorable bachelorette weekend for Canada Rinaldi quickly turned into a nightmare she will never forget. The Oklahoma bride-to-be, along with her bridesmaids, traveled to Dallas for a weekend of celebration, but their joy was shattered in an instant.
The group had been enjoying the vibrant nightlife in Dallas’ Deep Ellum neighborhood when tragedy struck. As they waited for an Uber to take them home, Rinaldi was suddenly and violently attacked by a stranger. The man knocked her unconscious without warning.
“I remember waking up in the ambulance and just asking, ‘What happened?’” Rinaldi recalled, visibly shaken by the traumatic event.
The physical consequences of the attack were severe. Rinaldi suffered a concussion, a broken nose, three broken teeth, and eight stitches to her face. The emotional toll, however, may prove to be even more lasting.
“I think I just stood in front of the mirror and cried for a while,” Rinaldi said. “But yeah, I’m not really looking at myself if I can help it.”
What should have been the happiest time of her life, with her wedding day just around the corner, has now been marred by the traumatic assault. Rinaldi’s wedding is set for April 26, but instead of preparing for her big day, she is now focused on healing from her injuries.
The attack has left her with not only physical scars but emotional ones as well. However, Rinaldi is determined that her attacker will face justice. “Make him pay for what he did,” she said. “I would just hate for him to get away with it and think, ‘Oh, I can just do this whenever I want to.'”
Authorities in Dallas are investigating the incident, but no arrests have been made as of now. Rinaldi has urged others to be cautious and aware of their surroundings, especially when out in unfamiliar areas.
As she continues to recover, Rinaldi hopes that by sharing her story, others will take her warning to heart and take steps to ensure their safety when out in public.
