A Second Chance at Life: Embracing Gratitude and Resilience

Twenty-one years ago, my life took a dramatic turn, altering everything I knew. It was a moment that halted time, where two lives were lost due to a single choice made on a fateful day. Their decision to pass in a no passing zone on a lengthy five-mile bridge brought two vehicles colliding driver to driver, forever changing the course of our lives.

I was pronounced dead, the passenger in the other vehicle also lost, while the driver of the truck that struck me met his fate en route to the hospital. Miraculously, amidst the tragedy, a sliver of hope emerged. A state trooper, carrying what was believed to be my body bag, witnessed a breath of life, a gasp for a second chance, as I lay slumped over the steering wheel.

Those moments after the collision were a battle for survival. Six firefighters courageously perched on the hood of my car, preventing it from plummeting off the bridge as they meticulously extracted me from the mangled wreckage. Crushed from the waist down, the prognosis was bleak—survival seemed improbable, walking an unthinkable dream. Yet, against the odds, life offered me a second chapter.

Experiences of such magnitude are profound teachers. They instill an unwavering appreciation for the often overlooked simple pleasures in life. The invaluable lesson that life is fragile and can pivot in the fraction of a moment lingers as a reminder. I’ve learned to vocalize affection, to express love without restraint, recognizing the transient nature of our existence.

Metal plates embedded within my body stand as a permanent testament to the vulnerability of life. They serve as a constant reminder that life’s threads can unravel swiftly, urging me to cherish each passing moment. Today, I celebrate this second chance, a gift that humbles me, reminding me to focus on the life I am granted now.

Gratitude fills my days as I navigate this new chapter. I have learned to pivot my focus towards the present, embracing each day with thankfulness. I am perpetually thankful for this opportunity, a chance to script a life story beyond the precipice of that life-altering moment.

Embracing resilience, gratitude, and the fragile beauty of life, I walk forward, carrying the weight of the past but reveling in the possibilities of the present. Each step is a testament to the unwavering strength within and a tribute to the irreplaceable gift of a second chance.

So today, and every day, I am profoundly thankful.

If you’d like to listen to a podcast I was featured on telling this story, follow the link below.

EFR 179: Defeating Death and Finding Purpose in Tragedy

XO,

Angela