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Tristin Criswell learns to walk again after being paralyzed in a car accident: 'This is a good thing!’
On a September morning in 2020, Tristin Criswell left home, beginning her 8-minute commute to work.
“It's a very long, busy road, with no median most of the time,” she says of the drive that takes her to the highway. "One little slip-up, and things happen.”
That morning, the 20-year-old’s commute was made even trickier by rain and fog. A truck collided with her SUV, compacting it so much responders had to pull Tristin's door off to remove her from the vehicle.
Tristin was placed in a medically induced coma for six days. When she woke she learned that she was paralyzed on the left side of her body from her head to her feet.
Doctors told Tristin her recovery was in her hands. Her dad’s advice helped put things into perspective.
“This recovery, healing process that you're going through is inevitable,” he said. “And we're all here to support you, but you gotta help us help you.”
He presented her with two choices, she says.
“He said, ‘The first one, you can be bitter, complaining, not helping the people that are trying to help you. Or you can see this as an opportunity to strengthen your relationship with the Lord, strengthen… physically and mentally… So what do you want to do?’”
“I could easily be like, ‘Why, God, did you do this to me?’ ‘Woe is me," kind of thing,” says Tristin. “But I knew. I was like, ‘No, this is a good thing! This is a good thing!’”
In this episode:
The morning of Tristin’s car accident [1:32]
Tristin wakes up in the hospital [4:52]
Tristin’s dad informs her of her car accident [5:38]
Tristin progresses during physical therapy [10:10]
How Tristin’s attitude served her [13:47]
Throwing out the first pitch at a Minor League Baseball game [17:13]
More:
To stay updated on “Hears How,” subscribe and follow @HearsHowPodcast on Instagram.
View all episodes
By Erin JensenOn a September morning in 2020, Tristin Criswell left home, beginning her 8-minute commute to work.
“It's a very long, busy road, with no median most of the time,” she says of the drive that takes her to the highway. "One little slip-up, and things happen.”
That morning, the 20-year-old’s commute was made even trickier by rain and fog. A truck collided with her SUV, compacting it so much responders had to pull Tristin's door off to remove her from the vehicle.
Tristin was placed in a medically induced coma for six days. When she woke she learned that she was paralyzed on the left side of her body from her head to her feet.
Doctors told Tristin her recovery was in her hands. Her dad’s advice helped put things into perspective.
“This recovery, healing process that you're going through is inevitable,” he said. “And we're all here to support you, but you gotta help us help you.”
He presented her with two choices, she says.
“He said, ‘The first one, you can be bitter, complaining, not helping the people that are trying to help you. Or you can see this as an opportunity to strengthen your relationship with the Lord, strengthen… physically and mentally… So what do you want to do?’”
“I could easily be like, ‘Why, God, did you do this to me?’ ‘Woe is me," kind of thing,” says Tristin. “But I knew. I was like, ‘No, this is a good thing! This is a good thing!’”
In this episode:
The morning of Tristin’s car accident [1:32]
Tristin wakes up in the hospital [4:52]
Tristin’s dad informs her of her car accident [5:38]
Tristin progresses during physical therapy [10:10]
How Tristin’s attitude served her [13:47]
Throwing out the first pitch at a Minor League Baseball game [17:13]
More:
To stay updated on “Hears How,” subscribe and follow @HearsHowPodcast on Instagram.