Working for a Miracle (Cont'd)
For the rest of her life, she would have to live with people looking at her differently, asking stupid questions like “Wow, how do you get out and about? That’s so good of you.” Everything would be more difficult for this woman. Getting ready in the mornings would be more difficult. Getting around school would be more difficult. Getting in and out of her car would be more difficult. Even shopping in a mall became challenging….have you ever noticed how close together those clothing racks are at women’s clothing stores? On March 28th, 1990 this girl’s life was broken in two. Were all of her dreams now dead and over?
Now let me tell you the story again- - about the same girl- - with a little different view on life. Becky Peters, from Milbank, SD, believes in daily miracles. She believes that you have to look for them and sometimes work for them. Becky was injured in a car accident on March 28th, 1990. Minutes after her accident, Becky was surrounded by incredible medical personnel. It was soon uncovered that she had severe internal bleeding, a broken back, and may not live. The entire town of Milbank began praying, praying for Becky’s life. She was airlifted to a nearby hospital that had more expertise in these areas. Doctors began operating on her, stabilizing her, and eventually saved her life. Within a day, all of her siblings (6 in total), flew or drove in from all over the country to support her. They told her they loved her and would do anything for her. They reminded her she was strong, and had the power to overcome the greatest of obstacles. They told her that although the doctors said she would never walk again, they believed she would. They prayed and they researched different rehabilitation options for her. The town of Milbank all pitched in during this critical time while Becky was in the hospital. They cooked and cleaned for Becky’s siblings so that her parents could stay by her side. They held fundraisers to help with the medical costs. The Peters’ family never felt so blessed.
Becky transferred to a rehab center in Denver, CO, where she was coached by some incredible individuals. This was one of the most important miracles of Becky’s life. They taught her everything she COULD still do instead of reminding her of everything she COULD NOT do. One person at Craig Hospital she spoke to helped her gain perspective when he saw her struggle with the idea of becoming a success. He said, “Bec, just think about it. Let’s say, in one’s life there are 1000 fun things you can do. In reality, out of these thousand, how many of those things will one person who is not paralyzed be able to accomplish in a lifetime?” She guessed, “Maybe 200?” He said, “Do you know what? I guarantee that there are still 200 fun things for you to do. I believe in you. You need to focus on the things you can do, not what you can’t.” This stranger changed her perspective on life and therefore changed her life.
More miracles followed. After returning to Milbank from rehabilitation, Becky began working hard to catch up with her high school class. With all of that time away from school, she was going to have to work extra hard. Becky not only caught up, but she attained even better grades than prior to her injury. When approaching high school graduation, Becky’s big decision was- - which college would she choose?
Becky chose to study at The College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN. Here, Becky really learned a lot about who she was and what she could offer the world. The college was extremely supportive and inspiring, even constructing a special dorm room to ensure Becky had an accessible, comfortable place to live. She worked on St. Ben’s Senate and was a member of the Kellogg Leadership Program. Upon graduating with her BA in Elementary Education, her class honored her by asking her to be the Student Commencement Speaker for graduation. She graciously accepted and rolled up to the podium on graduation day in front of hundreds of cheering classmates.
Going away to college allowed Becky to become very independent. She did things that college students do. Becky went on spring break trips with her friends which included various adventures such as para-sailing in Mexico and down hill snow skiing in Colorado. She also attended a sports camp in Chicago where she mastered the game of basketball, went fishing and horseback riding. Becky became a certified Scuba Diver and explored the oceans near Cozumel and the island of Grand Cayman. At this stage in her life, she was well on her way to accomplishing her 200 fun things.
After college, Becky decided to go on to get her Masters’ degree. She took a part time job at TCF Bank to pay the rent. So many opportunities presented themselves to Becky at TCF that she decided to pursue a career in banking. Within a year and 3 months, Becky moved from a Sales Associate to an Assistant Manager to a Manager. Over the course of the next 8 years, TCF kept giving Becky larger and larger banks to manage.
Today, Becky is a Regional Manager for TCF Bank. This is a Vice President position. She oversees 9 TCF Bank branch locations and the management and staff that work in them. She loves her job, and is still close to her family and a wide circle of friends. She now knows that life and the opportunities it presents is a miraculous gift. She recognizes the possibilities and opportunities of life are miracles of life. This is the reason her dreams have become reality.
As you can see, every person has the opportunity to tell their story from two angles: one is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is though everything is a miracle. Becky has been given the gift of faith: faith in God, faith in her family, faith in herself. This faith drives her every day to success.
You all may be wondering if Becky is walking yet! Unfortunately, the answer is no- I am not. One miracle I pray for has yet to occur. But today, I am more hopeful than ever that a cure for spinal cord injuries will one day give me and others the chance, the gift, to walk again.
The Morton Cure Paralysis Fund (MCPF) also believes that miracles happen every day and is working for a very specific miracle. You can be a part of it.
MCPF strives to find a cure “So That All May Walk Again.” Please believe with me. Believe in daily miracles. Believe in our ability to find a cure and help us bring daily miracles to all who have spinal cord injuries. Contact this organization to find out you can help. Have you accomplished your 200 fun things?