Accident Disabled Woman Seeks Grant Money To Survive On Higher Ground

by Amy Pearson
(Walker, Michigan, USA)

October 2006 is a month that I cannot remember and will never forget.

I had recently moved to North Carolina from Michigan. I had found an apartment, two jobs and was engaged to be married.

Life seemed to be pretty good and getting better every day. I was walking home from work after working second shift at my first job.

I was walking because that day my car had broken down and I had to go to work. I went to cross the street and was struck by a car.

I was hit and dragged 60 feet. I woke up in the hospital weeks later and was in complete shock.

I did not know what happened to me and was surprised to be in the hospital. I asked the doctors what happened to me.

They told me that I had broken my neck, both of my legs, both of my knees, my pelvis, dislocated both of my hips and had lost a lot of blood.

I could not walk and had to stay in a wheelchair. I had six emergency operations and needed more operations.

The nurses and doctors told me how blessed that I was to not be paralyzed from the neck down and that I was blessed to not have bled to death because of all of my injuries.

While in the hospital, I got a staph infection. The doctor told me that I would have to have another operation or lose my right leg.

After the surgery, I had to have medicine pumped through my heart two times a day for six weeks.

During this time, I lost my apartment, car and ended up homeless. In May of 2008, I had my eighth surgery, which was on my legs and knees.

In June of this year, my orthopedic doctor recommended another surgery on my legs and knees. Only by the grace of God did I survive all of this adversity.

I would like to start a non-profit organization to help homeless and disabled people. I have to believe that something good can come out of all that I have been through.

I would not want anyone to go through what I went through. I need a walker with a seat, brakes and wheels on it and a bath seat so that I can bath.

Because of my injuries, I still have severe leg, back, pelvic and muscle pain and have difficulty walking without a walker.

Thank you for letting me tell my story and God bless your organization.