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That’s what I thought after my accident on the cold, dreary, rainy night. It was one of those nights that ended in tragedy for me. The reason I say that is that on that night, my life almost came to an end. At that time, many things were going through my mind, so many that I couldn’t think straight. The one that stayed with me the most was that the train would derail and a lot of houses, along with many people, would die because of me. We tried everything we could to pry the car from off the rail but to no avail. We tried pushing and pulling. I knew that something would have to be done quickly, before a train was on its way. I was frightened but determined to get help. It was late into the night, but I wasn’t going to give up for I knew a lot was at stake, and it would all be my fault. So I rushed up another highway, in the hope of stopping someone who could assist us.

My two friends and I were crying over the many bad possibilities that could happen, and so I asked them to stay with the car. I finally reached the top of the hill and saw an approaching car light corning in the distance. I ran toward the light, waving my hands up high, forgetting how slippery the roads had been. The approaching car had seen me, but it started to slide as it was applying its brake to stop. It started to slide toward me! It all happened so fast and I was trying to get out of the way of the uncontrolled vehicle. I lay on the ground along the wet roadside. I truly was hurt, for the very first time in my life. They took me to a major medical center that could handle my severe injuries. It had to have been God in action, because He gave the doctors the knowledge, care and understanding to help me. He never left my side during my dark experience with death.

Through the many days and nights, I truly was in His caring and loving hands. I got better as the days went on, but in the process, part of my leg was gone. My friends were there to support me, and they told me that they had gotten the car off the railroad tracks. They saved the car, but I lost something in the end. They moved me to a local V.A. center for rehabilitation. I am truly grateful for the people that worked day and night for me. The one thing that bothered me the most was wondering if I would walk again.

The V.A. center in Martinsburg took all my concerns away. They fitted me with a prosthetic leg, and they taught me how to walk with it. I applied myself and was sent to a school for business. While I was there, I saw a wheelchair basketball game, and I wanted to join the team. I tried out, and I made it. My confidence in myself was returning slowly. I still had specialized problems, but I tried to leave them at school when I was playing wheelchair basketball for the West Virginia Mountain Wheelers. I went to school during the week and played wheelchair basketball on the weekends. We travel all over the country to play in Kentucky, Ohio, Alabama, Pittsburg, Baltimore, and a lot of other places. I started to feel like a normal person and not someone who had lost a leg. I guess being an amputee doesn’t mean your life is over, because for me, it allowed me to discover a new world out there. All I had to do was go and find it. I graduated from school, and I enjoy every moment I can playing wheelchair basketball with my one leg. I truly would like to thank all the people who work very hard in making an amputee feel that life is still beautiful, even though you have a disability. The thing to do is keep reaching to achieve and believe in yourself.