The Night That Changed Everything

Certain events in our lives shape who we are. These events can make you, or break you. They can make you weaker, or they can make you stronger. They often change your entire outlook on life, and push you to follow your dreams. When tragedy strikes, the outcome… is what you make it…

The Night That Changed My Life

It was April 10, 2003. My boyfriend at the time, Philip, was driving my car. I was in the passenger seat, and my best friend, Jessica, was in the backseat. We were driving to my friend Tiffani’s house. We turned down an old Mississippi country road…

And then… 
I woke up.

The screaming woke me. 

It took me a minute to realize... that the screams were coming from me. As I opened my eyes, I saw the windshield… completely shattered. I looked around, and realized that my car was in a body of water. 

Panic set in… but I had no idea just how bad things really were. My mind started racing, and I couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

The pain in my body was unbearable, but I didn’t have time to figure out where it was coming from. I looked at Jessica, and saw the blood on her face. I went to open my car door, but it was jammed. I went to move… and that’s when I realized… I couldn’t.

I said, “Jess, I can’t move my legs!”

That’s when I looked down… and I heard myself scream in a voice I didn’t recognize. My left kneecap was in the middle of my thigh, all my bones were coming through my skin... and my left foot… was hanging by a thread. I didn’t even think I had a foot anymore. My right leg was also broken, and I literally couldn’t move. There was blood everywhere. And the pain… I’ve never known that kind of physical agony.

Jessica got the rear door to open, and she said, “It’s okay, Ash. I’m going to get help.”

I heard her step out into the water...
And then… I was alone in the darkness.

I looked at Philip. Blood was pouring from his face. I shook him, but he didn’t flinch. I started shaking him as hard as I could, yelling, “Philip! Wake up! Please! You have to wake up! Philip, PLEASE!!!”

That’s when I came to the realization that Philip was probably dead. I heard a blood curdling scream come out of my body: “NOOOOOOO!” 

And I passed out from the pain.

I woke up, as Jessica got back to the car. On this particular road, there are only 2 houses. Jessica had walked for a very long time in the wrong direction, and she was turning back to try to find help the other way. She said, “I’m gonna go this way now, Ash. Please hold on for me. I’ll be right back.” 

I said, “Jess, please don’t leave me!” 
But of course, she had to leave to find help.

The pain in my legs was so unbelievable. I wanted to crawl out of my own body. I was shaking uncontrollably from the pain. I was losing so much blood, and I could feel myself going in and out.

And that’s when it hit me: I’m going to die here. At 18 years old.

It hurt so much… I couldn’t imagine surviving. Plus, we were in the middle of nowhere. It would take forever for an ambulance to get there. Then, they’d have to find a way into the water to get us out.

With that realization, I could feel all the hope leaving my heart...
Suddenly, I knew: I'm about to die.

I thought about my parents and my little brother… getting the call to say there'd been an accident... and that I didn’t make it. I thought about my dogs, Darby and Goldie… waiting for me to come home again. I thought about all of the things I wanted to do with my life. Everything I wanted to be. I was a Freshman in college, and just a few hours before, I had my whole life ahead of me. Now, I was sure that today would be my last.

But then... I decided that I couldn’t let that happen. So, the next time I started to lose consciousness, I thought about my family, and I fought to stay awake. I prayed. I held onto my dreams, and made a promise to myself that I’d achieve those goals someday. I wasn't sure how long I held on for, but it felt like days.

Eventually, I reached the point... where I couldn’t hold on any longer.

As I felt myself letting go... of my life and this world...
I heard the sirens.
The sirens that would save my life.

I was in the hospital for weeks. My body and my legs were severely damaged... especially my left leg, which had been completely crushed. Further, my left foot was essentially ripped from my body.

The initial surgical plan was to amputate my foot. At 18 years old, I didn’t even know how to process that information. But an amazing surgeon stepped up and offered to try and repair the damage.

After multiple surgeries, Dr. Durgin saved my foot. And after months in a wheelchair, I finally learned to walk again.

I went on to finish college, get my Master of Business Administration (MBA), and start my own business, Lucky Dog Retreat, and my own nonprofit rescue, Lucky Dog Rescue. I kept all of the promises I made to myself that night. For me, it was the night that changed everything.

I'd later find out that the old country road we were driving down, had been washed away in the severe weather the week before, and our car had plummeted off a steep embankment... into a creek, landing on a tree stump. We never saw it coming.  

While I had no concept of time that night, I'd later learn that it took well-over an hour, from the time the wreck occurred.... until help finally arrived. I was seconds from death, when the ambulance got there.

Without my best friend, Jessica, I would have died that night. She truly saved my life.

I would also find out that Philip didn’t die in the accident. However, Philip died one year later, on St. Patrick’s day, in a tragic house fire. It was beyond-devastating.

I wanted to share this story, because it made me… me. If you’ve ever wondered why I’m so driven, why I care so much, why I follow my dreams --above all else, now you know. If you’ve wondered why I have my own business and nonprofit rescue at 26 years old, now you know. My life… is happening right now. I don’t wait for someday down the road.

Because, on April 10, 2003, I didn’t think “down the road” existed for me. But 8 years later, I’m exactly where I promised myself I would be. Even though I'm in pain every day, I walk the dogs anyway... because I can. And while that night was the worst night of my life… it was the best thing that ever happened to me.

*Written in loving memory of Philip Lindsey

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