Hi, my name is Takiya, and in November 2020, just days before Thanksgiving, my life changed forever.

I was involved in a serious car accident with my best friend and my son, who was only 2 years old and getting ready to turn 3 at the time. I survived, but I suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) that completely changed the life I once knew.

Following the accident, I experienced many complications as a result of my injuries. Those complications have had lasting effects on the way I think, speak, process information, and move my body. Things that once came naturally to me became things I had to learn, work toward, and fight for all over again.

Before the accident, I was independent and able to get around on my own. Today, I am unable to walk independently and use an electric wheelchair for mobility. My mother and sister are my primary caregivers and have remained by my side throughout this journey, helping me navigate the physical and cognitive challenges that came with my injuries.

But my accident is only part of my story.

I am now 28 years old and the mother of two beautiful sons who mean everything to me. Although life looks very different now, I am still me. I still laugh, love, sing, enjoy being with my family, and make memories with the people I love. I continue working toward becoming as independent as possible and making the most of the life that is still ahead of me.

I have faced challenges I never imagined I would have to face, but I am still here, and I continue to push forward.

One of the biggest challenges my family and I face today is transportation.

Because I use an electric wheelchair, leaving home isn’t as simple as getting into a regular vehicle and going where I need or want to go. I currently rely heavily on Medicaid transportation for doctor’s appointments and other medical needs. While I am grateful to have that resource, it does not provide the freedom and flexibility that having reliable, wheelchair-accessible transportation of my own would give me.

Our goal is to raise enough money to help obtain a wheelchair-accessible van.

For me, an accessible van would mean so much more than simply having a vehicle.

It would mean getting to doctor’s appointments and other necessary places more easily. It would mean spending more time outside of the house with my children and family, attending important events, making memories, and experiencing more of the everyday moments that many people don’t have to think twice about.

It would mean freedom.

It would mean independence.

And after having so much of my independence taken away in a matter of seconds, having even a piece of that freedom back would mean more than I can put into words.

My family has loved, cared for, and supported me throughout this journey, but we cannot reach this goal alone. Every donation, no matter the amount, brings us one step closer to making reliable, accessible transportation a reality.

If you aren’t able to donate, please consider sharing my story. A share costs nothing, but it could help my story reach someone who is able to make a difference.

My life changed in an instant in 2020, but my life did not end that day.

I am still here.

I am still a mother.

I am still Takiya.

I am still singing, smiling, fighting, growing, and looking forward to everything life still has in store for me.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared, prayed for me, encouraged me, or supported my family throughout this journey. Every act of kindness means more to us than you know.

Thank you for helping me move toward a future with more freedom, more independence, and more opportunities to simply live my life.