Crash changes my life forever

#AYOSTRONG!!!

On May 1, 2023, a minivan plowed through the wall of my cousin's apartment, pinning me underneath. We are unsure what the driver was doing, but the vehicle jumped over a curb, through the wrought iron pedestrian gate, through the wall, slammed into the bed that was along that wall and finally landed on the couch that I was lying down on. At first, I thought it was an earthquake, everything was happening so fast and it was so loud, it was not until everything stopped, that I was the only one under something and that I NEEDED to stay awake to be found. I was yelling and screaming "I'm here!! I'm alive!! Please help!!" I could hear my girlfriend yelling for me, asking where I was, and frantically pulling things off of me until she could see me. My cousin was hysterically crying, having seen everything from the kitchen, but managed to call 911. When the ambulance and the firemen arrived they were able to pull me out of all the wreckage.

When I arrived at the hospital, I told my doctor my name, my father's name and phone number, my blood type...everything I could remember that might be useful to them, still trying not to fall asleep.

#AYOSTRONG!!!

The doctors told my parents that I had a shattered pelvis and that they would have to fuse my spine with my pelvis. They also told them that they had to insert a trach into my neck, to help me breathe, and worst of all, they had to amputate my leg from just under the knee. I was heavily sedated so I don't remember the first month, but when I did come back to my senses, I could not talk, I could not raise my arms at all...basically I could not move at all. I had to rely on my family and loved ones to be able to read my lips. It was hard, but little by little, I was able to move my arms again, I was able to speak, and eat again. I have been here for four months, it has been a long and HARD journey, but I am still fighting. I know I can do this and I know I can make it through. The next step of this journey is rehab. I still can't move my full leg properly, and I struggle with the amputated one, but I am strong and I WILL get to where I need to be.

#AYOSTRONG!!!

This is why I need your help. The next leg of my journey is rehab, and I need all the love and support I can get. To be honest, I'm a little scared, but as I said before, I know I can do this because I have a HUGE support group who loves and cares about me. Thank you to everyone.

#AYOSTRONG!!!