“I was the wrong passenger, in the wrong car, at the wrong time. After years of hard work to be physically and financially independent, I moved back into my childhood bedroom with my parents at age 24. Friends excused themselves from my life without a word. I stopped being invited places or asked on dates; I began to feel everyone saw me as a burden.”
‘Overnight, I went from a happy, active, able-bodied person to paralyzed from the waist down.’: Woman disabled in car accident candidly shares journey to self-acceptance
I Am More Than A Person With Dwarfism, I Am Kristen
“Society led me to believe I wasn’t enough. They’re wrong. I am more than a diagnosis, a statistic, a label, or a condition.”
‘We were two women, thrust into the positions of caregiver and lover. The trajectory of our lives forever changed.’: Partners of quadriplegic men pioneer global support community for others
“They were more than their new wheelchairs. They were the guys we fell in love with. We lost our home, careers, and the life we once knew. There was nothing available online, no resources for women like us. Then, we found each other.”
‘Can you hold my hand?’ Even though I couldn’t feel him, he gave me a sense of comfort. There was an army rooting for me’: Quadriplegic thanks community for support
“I lost the brakes on the bike. I went headfirst and instantly, I was paralyzed from the chest down. There were fundraisers, such as dances and bake sales. Individuals stepped up to support my family. There were even anonymous donations to help make our home accessible.”
‘I can’t go to juvie! You don’t know what they DO to people there!’ She choked out, ‘Will you be my parents?’ We were 23, newly engaged. Already a teenager, we were her only option left.’: Young couple adopt 5 children into ‘forever family’
“When I thought about my future as a quadriplegic, I didn’t think my dream of becoming a husband or dad were going to happen, much less 5 kids before marriage! God brought us these girls for a reason, and I was determined to give them all the love they needed.”
‘The car skidded. I tried to run, escape. A whirlwind took us up and when it stopped, my torment started.’: Accident survivor bikes 100 miles, ‘Life can be beautiful, even on wheels’
“‘Mom, what happened to you?’ I didn’t know what to say. I was a vegetable, changed by people whose language I didn’t speak.”
‘She began sobbing. ‘No one has ever done anything like this.’ Pregnant and hungry, she was living off leftover cheese.’: Man shares act of kindness for homeless couple
“We were exiting the ramp when we noticed a young lady holding a sign on the sidewalk. It was difficult to see the words, but as we pulled up to the red light, I was able to make out ‘Pregnant’ and ‘Hungry.’ We approached her. ‘We’re going to help you.’ Everyone else laughed or ignored her.”
‘I got a bad cold. Within 24 hours, I was fully paralyzed. Parents pulled their kids away like I was contagious.’: 12-year-old girl with Acute Flaccid Myelitis finds joy despite paralysis, ‘I love life and the people in it!’
“We all got a bad cold. They got better, but mine got worse. Three days later I was paralyzed and put on a ventilator to breathe. I was sedated and missed my birthday.”
‘I was awake, shaking in fetal position under a fence with my spinal chord split in half. ‘You need to start funeral arrangements. She won’t make it till morning.’: Paralyzed woman celebrates life after forced into motorcycle police chase
“He was drinking a lot and took some pills. I was forced onto his bike and he took off very fast, driving recklessly. Terrified, I clung to him. A cop quickly pulled behind us. He sped off at 100 mph. That’s when it happened. I didn’t wake up until a month and a half later. ‘This can’t be real.’ I was heartbroken with a pain I’d never felt before. ‘Where are my babies?!’ When they came to visit, they wouldn’t even come near me. They couldn’t recognize me anymore.”
‘I plummeted 3 stories from my apartment balcony. My hand grazed the railing. I tried to catch myself, but it was too late.’: Woman paralyzed after faulty balcony accident, ‘I take each day with gratitude’
“The surgeon explained, ‘Your spine is a mush. You’ll be lucky if you wake up functioning.’ I couldn’t feel from the neck down. ‘Have I been in a car accident?’ No one had the heart to tell me. I just kept thinking, ‘Eh, I’ll be alright. They don’t know what they’re talking about.’ I cried and swept it under the rug. Little did I know, my body was a newborn again. I learned what dead weight felt like. I’d hear, ‘Oh, that’s sad. She’s so beautiful.’ My life turned upside down.”
