September 29, 2018, started out as an ordinary day, but ended in a tragedy of twisted metal and pain. I was leaving a friend's house just after 11:00 p.m. and had only made it a few miles when a drunk person driving a truck crossed into my lane and crashed into me at 55 miles per hour, pushing my SUV off the road and into a ditch.
I often think about what would have happened if I decided to stay longer or leave earlier. Would I still be where I am today? Would the driver crash into someone else instead? I've tried to let these questions go because I cannot change my circumstances and I would not wish that another person had been hurt instead of me.
After the crash occurred, emergency services arrived at the scene and cut me out of my vehicle to put me in a helicopter where I was then taken to the nearest hospital.
I do not remember much from the crash but I have been burdened with PTSD which makes driving and being a passenger extremely hard. I had various surgeries that repaired my ribs, legs, neck, and lungs. To this day, I still having chronic pain and stress from the events that occurred that day.
This whole experience has not only affected me, but those around me also. I may appear like most women my age, but I must face daily unnecessary struggles that I did not ask for. Due to the rate of speed and the type of impact caused, my body will never be the same.
The trauma surgeons saved my life that night by putting me back together with hardware in my neck, femur, tibia, foot, and ribs. The impact also caused one of my eyes to cross, which left me with a visual impairment.
The most severe injury I had was an Atlanto-occipital dislocation, which in basic terms is an internal decapitation where the skull separates from the spine. I still remember opening my eyes and feeling utter panic while in the hospital. With limited range of motion in my neck and shoulder, driving again was a challenge. I've had to depend on blind spot monitoring in my new vehicle as well as special mirrors.
Driving while drunk is 100 percent preventable, with so much advancement in technology, people have options to get home safely and should be using them. I have learned from this tragedy that there are good people in life that want to help.
I found a bigger purpose by sharing my story with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to help other survivors and Law Enforcement. There's a great reward for turning my pain into something that might help others. Lastly, I have learned to be grateful for the good days and allow myself grace when my body is in severe pain, when I can't do the things I want or need to do. I believe that we are connected through painful times and I've found ways to look for blessings in this burden.
Stephanie Ronan is an internal decapitation survivor. She volunteers with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), and uses her social media platforms to tell her story.
All views expressed are the author's own.
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About the writer
Stephanie Ronan is an internal decapitation survivor. She volunteers with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), and uses her social media ... Read more
