My life as I knew it changed forever in only a split second. It was a beautiful day and everyone I encountered that day were great spirits and everything felt perfect.

I can only remember smiling and laughing with family and friends not knowing that later that day, myself and my daughter along with three others would get into a horrific car accident.

I broke my neck which left me paralyzed with a spinal cord injury. I could not move or speak. I was hospitalized for 5 months, in which I was in the intensive care unit majority of my time there.

For the first couple of months I was never aware of the how severe I was injured. Everyday you are being told things like “ Your will never walk or be able to do anything again.” I never once believed any of that and I still today. I had to relearn everything and I never stop believing in in myself.

I had no knowledge of what a spinal cord injury was until it happened to me so I educated myself on everything about living with paralysis and anything that I know would allow me help myself. I also learned that most people didn’t know and fully understand how serious this injury was and could also be.

The more I attended support groups and talked to other people with or without a SCI, the more I understood that I had to become more involved and help others as well as myself. I not only was able to help those around me become as knowledgeable about the injury as they could, but I also became an advocate in which I can reach those outside of my living area.

I believe com­ing together to show support to one another will help make a huge difference in the disabled community. I believe that encouragement and positivity to not let anything stop me from living life and continuing to reach my life goals are what contributed my progress.

Being a mother and having a supportive family has a huge effect as well! I wake up everyday as I still do now, knowing I have daughter who depends on me! I was motivated to go back and finish a few courses in college.

I also mentor a few friends I’ve made in my community that are disabled. I encourage them to not let their disability stop them from living a fulfilling life.

As I continue my advoca­cy to empower the disabled, I myself will never stop fighting to live an independent positive life with my beautiful daughter.

I have goals in life and I am still able to obtain them and be happy. I never give up and what I would like for others to take from my story is just that, always believe in yourself!