February 21st! Another year to celebrate life. Fourteen years ago I was in a car accident and it changed my life for the best! Only God knows why he kept me in this world. Blessed to have had this second chance and I cherish life on a daily basis.

When you are sixteen years old you think you know it all, I was a fearless, funny, sarcastic and possibly one of the popular kids. On February 21st, 2006 I decided to ditch school and hang out with my friends. Little did I know this decision was going to change my life forever. I remember heading back to school this day and looking at the time on my phone, it was 11:11! I use to always tell my friends, its 11:11 make a wish! I remember looking at the time this day and thinking “please don’t let me get caught ditching today”. Minutes later after making that wish I remember hearing one of my friends that was in the car yell “oh shit, watch out”! I remember looking up and it appeared the driver was going too fast to notice the freeway had slowed down, she hit the breaks and swerved to the middle lane so she wouldn’t hit the car in front. Some how the car ended up flipping six times. I remember holding my face, and praying “God please stop, God please stop”!

I remember hearing windows breaking, the sound of someone grabbing a bat and breaking a car window, hearing that sound over and over again. At some point my 100 pound body was ejected from the car in the middle of the freeway. I must of fainted a couple of times because after being ejected from the car a lot was a blur. I remember waking up in the middle of the freeway, in the middle lane to watching cars swerving trying not to run me over. A truck driver pulled over and risked his life to walk in the middle of the freeway and grab my body and place me safely on the side of the freeway. I couldn’t talk, I didn’t get a chance to thank him.

I remember i was covered in blood from head to toe. I kept whipping my face to stop blood from getting in my eyes. The truck driver said, “you’re going to be okay I have to go but I will pray for you”. After he left, it was more of a blur. Like I said, I think I was passing out and waking up. A women in a black BMW pulled over and asked me how I was feeling. I remember looking at her but I could not talk. She asked me for my name, and I could not tell her. She asked again, how are you feeling? I finally was able to reply, I am cold, I am really cold. She opened up her trunk and grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around me. She also said, ambulance are on their way, you are going to be okay.

The next thing I know, I was on an ambulance. How did I get on the ambulance? I do not remember. I remember being inside the ambulance and they were asking me my name and basic info, I remember saying my parents are going to be so upset with me, they are going to be really mad! The paramedic must of been a dad because he said “they’ll be mad but trust me, they are just going to be happy you are alive”. When I arrived at the hospital a doctor told me he couldn’t help me until my parents arrived because I was a minor. He handed me a phone and told me to call my parents. Oh how I dreaded calling my mom.

I called my mom and she answered with her sweet voice ” Hi Liz” and I responded “Mom, I’m at the hospital and I need you to come right now”. She responded “why, what happened”?. I said “mom, you just need to come right now”. She said “okay, I am on my way”. She must of drove as fast as she could because it seemed as soon as I hung up she was standing right next to me. I remember looking at her and she kept her composure (My mom is really strong) I told her Mom, do you see that? I see a light, a light that’s telling me to go”. She held my hand tight and told me no, its okay your going to be okay, stay with us. I don’t know if her holding my hand made me snap out of it but I felt like I was slowly leaving this world. Then my dad showed up, he ran in and was crying and screaming. Probably one of the first times I had seen my dad cry. He kept telling me “no Liz, its not suppose to be like this, you are suppose to bury me not me bury you”.

The doctor finally arrives and tells my parents, “we are going to put her in the cat-scan and see what’s going on but I should tell you, you should talk to your daughter because these might be the last time you talk to her”. Oh man, as a mom I don’t ever want to hear those words. The doctor put me through the cat-scan and brought me back to my parents. The doctor told us, someone is definitely watching over you. She’s going to be okay, she has a lot of cuts, bruises, and scrapes and took a good beaten, her face is going to be swollen for awhile and she’s going to hate us but we need to sand paper her bruises, she has a lot of glass and dirt on her body and she can get an infection but other then that she’s going to be okay. What a relief.

I will always be reminded of this second chance I have in life. I thank everyone that was there for me through all this, especially my parents and my little sisters for their prayers and visits. Thank God for another shot at life and I pray that I’m doing my will and making a difference in this world. I know I’m here for a reason.

Yesterday my dear friend Cindy and I (Cindy was also in the car accident with me) had lunch and talked about our life anniversary. It’s interesting to hear our version of this day through our own eyes. Cindy is my sister from another mister and my longest friendship. Cheers to another life anniversary and continued friends.

 

23 thoughts on “Cheers to a second shot of life”

  1. Wow!! I’m so glad you came out of that, what a crazy experience but a beautiful thing to celebrate your strength and second chance!

  2. I don’t think I can comment yet on IG but had to come and read your story. I’m crying. You definitely had an Angel with you 11:11 means someone is with, you watching you.

  3. Liz, you have my crying. I was literally picturing this. I’m THANKFUL God spared your life so that you could be an amazing mommy to the TWINkies and an awesome wife. Love you girl 😘

  4. Wow Liz! God definitely saved you for a reason. I love that He sent His angels to help you in the form of a trucker and a lady with a blanket. You should tell this story at high schools!

  5. Wow Liz. God definitely saved you for a reason. I love that He sent His angels to help you in the form of a trucker and a lady with a blanket. You should tell this story at high schools!

  6. It must have been hard for you to write this, it was hard for me to finish reading it. I was crying the hole time! Thank you for sharing Cheers to you and Cindy !

    1. It was hard to write, It actually took me a couple days to finalize and read the whole thing. I would write and stop, but I am glad I wrote it.

  7. Wow! I’m sitting here watching my daughter play with other kids and reading your story. I had to hold my composure because it made me cry. As a mother I can’t even imagine the pain of seeing your daughter go through this type of experience. I’m happy you are her and can share this story with the world. Happy life anniversary.

    1. I agree with you. I cant imagine what was going through my moms mind this day! She told me shes thankful that God gave me to her twice! And whoah, did that make me cry!

  8. Omg Liz. I didn’t know know this story. Definitely brought tears to my eyes. God gave you two a second chance at life. ❤️

    1. God truly blessed me this day! I cherish my second chance, honestly the reason why i went into the educational field. I have been able to share this story with many teenagers. When I worked at middle schools, toward the end of the school year I would also have a presentation with my students in the multipurpose room. I would start my story and tell them about this girl I knew that decided to ditch school and how she ended in this car accident and the room would be so quiet, everyone paying attention and some crying and at the end I would tell them the girl who i mentioned that ejected the car was me! And they would all be in shock. I would tell them this is why I love what I do, this is why I tell you all to always do the right thing! I feel by sharing my story with others maybe it will make them think twice when it comes to ditching.

  9. Omg this brought tears to my eyes!! I’m so glad you both are OK now an got another chance at life live it to the fullest!

    1. Thank God for good people! One day I was in the freeway with my parents and we saw a car accident and we pulled over to help, we didn’t leave the scene until paramedics arrived. I was holding a young boy in my arms, he told me his name was Mathew. I told him how strong he was and he was going to be okay. Once the paramedics arrived I told him to be strong and he was crying and said okay, I love you! It was the sweetest most genuine I love you! Of course I said I love you too. Ill continue to pay it forward since I was not able to thank the people who pulled over to help me.

  10. Lizzy, this brought tears to my eyes. God has some pretty big plans for you and I’m so glad you have a second chance in life and I have gotten to know this beautiful woman that you are! I love you and thank you for sharing ❤️😊

    1. I love you Debbie! God’s truly blessed me with many great people and you my friend are one of the sweetest one of all. Xoxo

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