Foundation Spotlight: Samantha

Meet Samantha Garcia, the honorary beneficiary for the ATI Foundation's Annual Metal Walk. After a near-fatal car accident, Samantha sustained a traumatic brain injury and a crushing arm injury. One year later, her amazing progress allows her to be the 2013 Metal Walk Race Starter!

Transcript

On July 1st, 2012,  Samantha was involved in a near fatal car accident. Her car rolled 5 to 6 times, and she got ejected 50 feet from the car, head first.

They said it wasn't looking good, and that she'd be in a vegetative state--

"forever?"

Forever.

But I didn't believe it..

Samantha was bed written for approximately 2 months before starting therapy. She started off in a wheel chair, for... I want to say.. about 3 or 4 months. After that, in outpatient therapy she started using a four prong cane.

"You will never leave me."

"You remember I never leave you?"

"Yeah."

"How come?"

"Yeah, You love me."

"Of course I love you."

"Yeah"

Samantha was referred to the ATI Foundation by one of our ATI co-workers, with a very inspiring story how she has been able to overcome many physically impairing disabilities due to her brain injury. She's come a long way, but there's still a long way to go - and we wanted to be there to help her.

Oh I have way more ahead of me. Slowly but surely, we're getting there. In addition to Samantha's brain injury, she also suffered a cursing injury to her arm which required orthopedic surgery and a metal implant inside her wrist. This makes her a perfect example of the people we are celebrating at our Metal Walk, celebrating movement.

To be the race starter for the Metal Walk means so much, I'm so excited.

After the accident, people didn't think she'd ever walk again. Instead, she's ready to another walk... a Metal Walk.

Thanks to the ATI Foundation, I can get better. And hopefully reach all my goals, like getting back to exactly where I was.