Below is an email I received from a young lady that I love very much. Our parents have been friends for a long time, but their daughter, Kaitlyn, and I didn't meet until after her life altering accident. We are very close friends today. Below are her words to questions posed by Olivia Christensen, CEO at TroubledApparel.com. There are so many things that are on my mind considering this young lady, but courageous is the first word that comes to mind. Life happens fast and it can change forever even faster. Psalm 39:4-6 states this:
"Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is.You have made my days a mere hand-breadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be."
let me know how fleeting my life is.You have made my days a mere hand-breadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be."
Life is truly short, but what really matters is not the brevity of it, but the impact that it has on others. Every time I speak with Kaitlyn I'm reminded and encouraged how important, and wonderful, true impact in others lives can be. Kaitlyn, I'm in awe of you and love you as if you were my own daughter. Girlfriend, you are what they call a "Game Changer". - sbb
"Zero" handicap
How did you get into the accident?
On December 2, 2010 I was in a rush on my way to school of my senior year. When I took my last steps and got in my car I never put my seat belt on and sped off 85 miles an hour on a country road. Just 5 minutes down the road I hid a sheet of black ice that spun me off the road into a ditch that caused me to flip my car "front over end" ejecting me out of the sun roof and throwing me 70 feet away from my car. I broke 3 of my ribs and severed my spinal cord which left me paralyzed from the stomach down.
Perspective...
How has it changed your life?
This accident drastically changed my life because of the simple fact it permanently took away from me the use of my legs. The only way I can do anything is if I sit in a wheelchair. I was used to waking it up and putting on heels to dress up for school and after school cheer-leading, running on the track and cross country team and playing other sports like tennis and volleyball. I had to completely relearn how to do EVERYTHING, even the simplest things like getting dressed, using the restroom, and showering myself. I still do things on my own, its just completely different and I had no choice but to face the fact that my life would never be the same!
Family and the "New Normal"
How has it inspired you?
My accident itself devastated me, I never knew anything like this could happen to me, I thought I was just a normal teenager? However once I realized that my accident should have killed me and that it was a true blessing to still be breathing with a second chance at life, I knew I needed to take advantage of it since I took everything else for granted. I now appreciate things I never dreamed of appreciating like having the use of my hand and a brain that still works because I could have easily been more paralyzed than I am now or hit my head so hard I forgot how to move or communicate anything at all. It has made me focus on the positives and what I can do instead of what I can't do.
Helping others...
Where are you from?
I am from Columbus, Ohio
Making a difference...
What are your ultimate goals?
My ultimate Goals are to graduate with a college degree, get married and have children, while in the process doing as much therapy as possible to recover as much as I can because even though my doctors left me with no hope of walking, I believe that I can overcome this injury if I work hard enough! I also want to speak to as many people as possible about my story so I can inspire them to not let anything stop you and fight for everything you want. I want to break down as many barriers and misconceptions as I can about people who live with disabilities. In the process of achieving all the above I will be dancing with my wheelchair dance team as much as possible!
Never give up!
What is Team Hotwheelz?
Team Hotwheelz is a wheelchair dance team that dances to inspire the world! All the team member had to overcome the transition of going from being a fully able body person to becoming disabled and living life in a chair at some point in their lives. We are all very strong and independent girls despite what others assume about us. Dancing is what brought us together. We have a particular routine that we incorporate able body dancers with our 7 girls in wheelchairs to show the world that dance is dance and there are no limits and that we don't have to be separated, we can interact together! Team Hotwheelz wants to inspire both worlds (able and disabled)!
sbb 25.1.13
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