(Off-camera) Wow. That's, that's bracing, that's like a tonic this morning to hear that. Say hello back for me. Well, it was such a tabloid fury here in New York. The headlines had things like dumped at the altar by email. Is that what really happened? We're talking, of course, about Kesha Nichols, and she had been engaged to NBA star, Richard Jefferson. She's going to set the record - straight this morning, not only about what happened, but the lessons that you learn.

GRAPHICS: WEDDING FOUL

GRAPHICS: LEFT AT ALTAR BY STAR NBA PLAYER

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Voiceover) Kesha Nichols. Richard Jefferson. A beautiful couple. She, a Basketball sideline dancer. He, a Basketball star.

NBA ANNOUNCER (MALE)

Jefferson.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Voiceover) They met, fell in love, traveled the world. He proposed. The wedding was set to be a lavish affair in New York City's Mandarin Oriental. What we read in the papers next was unimaginable. That he had broken up by email. Didn't notify guests. A $2 million wedding was wasted? What really happened inside this broken relationship? It reminded us of the heartbreak we've seen before. Nichol Cantos, in her wedding gown, outside, waiting to walk up the aisle. Word comes from the best man that the groom is on a plane to London. Her family not pleased.

CANTOS FAMILY MEMBER (MALE)

Why, what's wrong? What's wrong?

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Voiceover) But all we know this morning in the case of Kesha Nichols and Richard Jefferson is what he said in a call to Howard Stern.

Richard Jefferson ( NBA PLAYER

We had broken up and gotten back together. Broken up and gotten back together, so many times that I didn't want to make this decision and then, two days later say, okay, look, I'm sorry. It was a decision that I had to make, and stick by it.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Voiceover) What we've not heard is her side of the story, until now.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) And Kesha Nichols joins us this morning. And it's good to have you here.

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Thank you. Good morning.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) You said something, I was telling you earlier, that made me stop. You said, when you're heartbroken, just dance. Dance again. You're going to be fine.

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Yes, ma'am. That's my philosophy. Just keep dancing through life. No matter what you're handed, you know, just pick up the pieces and keep going. And just keep dancing.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) And the biggest lessons you've learned, you can't love someone into loving you back.

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Yes. You know, they were talking about how much was spent on the wedding and all the lavish things that were involved. But to me, the number one thing was marrying the person that I was in love with. And, you know, I was preparing my life to be with this person forever.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) Well, four days before the wedding, four days it was?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Five days.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) Five days before the wedding. You do get an email from him. But you want everybody to know that this had been a troubled weekend. It had been an off and on again weekend.

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Yes.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) And it wasn't entirely a surprise to you?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

No. It wasn't just a troubled weekend. It was a month of four funerals that we had to attend between our two families, and wedding showers, and traveling back and forth. But, it just all came to a head that weekend. And we had the discussion on Sunday night. And I flew back to New York. And he just confirmed in an email what we had both spoken about the night before.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Voiceover) And did you talk?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

After the email, we did talk for a few hours. And, you know, just made sure that we were both at peace with what was going to happen. And, you know, I'll always care about him. He was my best friend for five years. So, I have no hard feelings towards Richard at all.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) Still in that moment, a lot of suffering?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Definitely. I mean I lived every girl's worst nightmare, out in front of the world. And my heart was broken. And it still is. And I'm going to miss him as a friend. But, you know, I'm a thriving New Yorker. I've been here for seven years. I had a life before I was with Richard. And I'll have a life after.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) There are all these practical questions I wondered about. I mean, in fact, it was like half million dollar wedding. That's a big, fancy wedding. And 70% of the money is lost. Is this your money lost? I mean, what do you do about what you've invested in it?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Well, you're under contract when you plan any event in New York. So, everything was pretty much paid for. And I had about 50 family members that still came to New York to be with me, in my time of sorrow. So, we still gathered at the Mandarin and had dinner. And had a life celebration, and I was just surrounded by the people that loved me. And we laughed and cried together.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) But, did you lose a lot of money in this?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

I've lost a lot of money over the years, just for being with Richard and being away from my career opportunities, and away from New York, where my dance company is.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) He did give you some money. He has given you money as a kind of, well, compensation for the fact that you dropped your career and moved to be with him?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Yes. He understands. And you know, we've spoken many times, to be with someone that's in the spotlight that's an athlete, you have to be where they are. So, for the last few years, I've been living, sleeping and breathing this relationship. And nurturing my relationship with Richard, which took me away from career opportunities and chances to make money on my own.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Voiceover) What about the dress?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Well, I never saw the finished product. I was supposed to have my final fitting on Monday before the wedding. It's an amazing, beautiful dress. Guillermo designed it for me. But I have not seen the dress. And probably never will.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) Really? You're just going to let it sit there?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

I'm going to let it sit there. I probably will never wear it. So, it's a bad thing that Guillermo's beautiful creation won't be seen. But, you know, maybe something will happen. We'll sell it one day or something like that, I'm not sure.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) And the ring, the engagement ring?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

The ring is mine. The ring was a gift. And my grandparents have it in North Carolina right now.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) And again, you said your friends came in anyway.

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Yes.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) They knew. Your family and friends knew. But they came in to celebrate?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Everyone knew on Monday.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) What did you say to each other at this party? This life celebration party, as you called it?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Well, my best friends that were there from kindergarten up until, you know, the last few years, girls that I've met that are like family. You know, a lot of them couldn't really even look at me without crying. Their heart was breaking for me. But, you know, they were also there to entertain me and laughter through tears is my favorite emotion. And I just wanted to be around the people that love me the most.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) Hard every morning though when you wake up?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

It's getting easier. It's actually getting easier because I can see past the tragedy. And I just see that so many things are going to open up for me. And I'm just open up to the universe and whatever opportunities come next.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) Have you talked to him since all this?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

I have not. One thing that we agreed on if we called off the wedding, was that he would not call me and let me have this time on my own to, you know, to start over and not having him in my life. And not have him change his mind and say, okay, let's get back together. You know, it was a final decision. And he stuck to his word. So, I haven't spoken to him in two weeks and two days.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) Angry?

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Not angry at all. Honestly, Richard did not do this to me. He did it for me. He cared enough about me to realize that this was not the relationship that we both needed to be in. And as a friend, as someone that he's been close to for five years, he realized that. And he was just the one to verbalize what we both knew in our hearts.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) Well, again, thank you for coming in. We read all about it in all of those newspapers. And now we know what you were really thinking, what was in your heart.

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Perfect. Thank you so much.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Off-camera) And good luck, let us know the next chapter.

KESHA NICHOLS (EX FIANC??E OF NBA STAR Richard Jefferson)

Okay. I will, for sure.

DIANE SAWYER (ABC NEWS)

(Voiceover) All right, coming up next, living longer. A small town goes in search of answers. Find them in the, in the living room. Could this be the key to long life?

GRAPHICS: SECRET TO LIVING LONGER

COMMERCIAL BREAK