Accident victim refuses to let spinal cord injury stop her
On behalf of of Frederick & Hagle posted in Car Accidents on Friday, March 8, 2013.
When an active out-of-state woman was training for a triathlon, a motorist hit her while she was riding her bike. The impact shattered three vertebrae in the woman’s neck and caused a severe spinal cord injury. Doctors were not confident that the woman, athlete and mother would survive, much less show the amazing progress in recovery that she has demonstrated.
This woman’s spirit is unbreakable; she is determined to let nothing stop her. Through her commitment to physical therapy, she has been able to stand and at times even walk with assistance. Doctors are hopeful that one day she will be able to return to her passion of running. The victim says that she has no intentions of letting go of her racing ambitions.
After the accident, the woman’s boyfriend moved in with her to assist with her care and the care of the woman’s 6-year-old. This car accident victim’s boyfriend has stood by her throughout her entire recovery. The woman was planning on running in a half marathon this year, but of course because of her injury this was not possible. Her boyfriend took it upon himself to push her wheelchair nearly the entire length of the course so that she could still participate.
In a finish that stirred the emotions of many, the woman’s boyfriend helped her out of her wheelchair so that she could walk across the finish line. The woman says, “I didn’t know how emotional it would be…He pushed that wheelchair over those crazy New Orleans streets for 13 miles. For him to be able to help me walk across the finish line, it was just crazy.”
This is a remarkable and inspiring story. Not all accident victims in Illinois that similarly suffer a spinal cord injury will be fortunate enough with such a dramatic recovery. Often victims in Illinois suffer from permanent damage, huge medical expenses and long-term care costs. In Illinois, a victim with a spinal cord injury can pursue financial compensation from a negligent party for their injuries, lost income and treatment. Such financial recourse can mean it is possible for the individual to live their life as fully as possible following the catastrophic injury.
Source: Today News, “Man helps girlfriend with spinal cord injury cross finish line,” Scott Stump, Feb. 25, 2013
