Alex Carson
Lacy Johnson
Lacy Johnson was a typical 17-year-old girl. She was active, intelligent, and enjoyed school. Lacy has four brothers and sisters, and they were mourning their grandmother. She had been raising the five siblings when she passed. Lacy thought this would be the hardest thing that she would ever go through in her life, and she had no idea what something much worse was in store for her.
The Accident
In June 2019, Lacy was going for a ride with her best friend’s mother. Her friend’s mother had epilepsy and started having a seizure while she was driving. Lacy saw what was happening, and knew that she had to do something quickly. She unfastened her seat belt and tried to get over the driver’s side so that she could regain control of the car. She managed to grab the wheel and apply the brake, which caused the vehicle to come to a crashing stop.
Epilepsy
According to the Mayo Clinic, epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder. It causes periods of unusual behavior, loss of awareness, and seizures. In some cases, the seizure can cause the person to space out for a moment. On others, violent movements of the body can occur. Lacy’s friend’s mother experienced a seizure that caused violent movements, and she knew that she had to do something quickly to protect herself, her friend’s mother, and the other drivers on the road. While unrestrained, Lacy crashed the car into a curb. Tragedy struck when the vehicle collided with another car on the road.
Ejected From the Car
When the car crash and collided with the second vehicle, it flipped over three times. Lacy, who takes off her seat belt, and she ejects from the vehicle and landed on the hard ground. Lacy’s injuries are very severe and takes via Life Flight service to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center’s Red Duke Trauma Institute in Houston.
Severe Injuries
When Lacy arrived at the medical facility, the doctors quickly assessed her injuries. They informed her family that the wounds that she sustained were so severe, that they weren’t sure if she would recover. They were informed that Lacy fractured her spine in four different places. The flesh on her arm was torn so badly that the bone was visible. Her liver had been damaged, and one of her lungs had collapsed. Her scans showed that many of her organs were bruised. While all of these injuries were severe, the worst was that her skull had come away from her spine.
Lacy’s Aunt
ABC 13 News heard about the accident, and they interviewed Lacy’s aunt. During the interview, she said, “Our baby is bleeding from her abdomen and liver. We are told that she has her spine broken in four different areas. She had to have her skull reattached.”
The Extent of Lacy’s Injuries
Lacy’s injuries were very severe. She was only able to breathe with the assistance of medical equipment. The left side of her body was paralyzed, and the sensitivity on her right side was compromised. To save her life, Lacy would need to go through several medical procedures. In all, she had nine surgeries. When the doctors were able to stabilize her, she was ready to work toward recovery.
Months Go On
As the months went on, Lacy and her doctors worked on her paralysis. It wasn’t going to be easy, but Lacy had people by her side the whole time. Her brothers and sisters hung photos up in her room, and they fought along with her. Some days were easier than others, and she had people by her side on the good days and the bad. Her aunt says that she knew that Lacy was strong, and that would get her through it.
Helping the Family
Lacy’s medical bills were going to be extensive, and a GoFundMe page was set up to help Lacy and her family. By the middle of August 2019, over $12,000 had been raised for the family. The donations came from over 200 people and those who donated left messages of inspiration for Lacy. This meant everything to the family.
Healing
With the help of therapy sessions, Lacy was able to restore the use of her left arm and leg. She also started to learn to walk again. Her doctors said that the speed of her healing was miraculous. She managed to get to the point where she could walk up and down stairs and walk on a treadmill. Several months later, she was able to go back to school. She still needs assistance with walking, but she hopes that soon, she will be able to walk on her own again. This 17-year-old was paralyzed in a car crash. But just one month later a miracle took place. Lacy started getting better. She defied the odds and is determined to live a long and happy life.
