Moving Forward
Story by Robert Babusci
That which does not kill you makes you stronger. That cliché certainly holds true in Emily Graham’s case. Graham has overcome a horrible tragedy that some predicted would keep her from attending college and having a career. Despite the odds, she received her degree from James Madison University in 2004 and is now making her mark on the world.
Graham has been working in Philadelphia, Pa. since June 2004 for a non-profit organization that helps people with intellectual disabilities. Some doctors believed she would be living in a nursing home right now; instead, she is getting ready to move out on her own.
Graham is now focusing her attention on the future, but admits that it is impossible not to reflect on the past. “I think [what I went through] is something that has become a part of me, so I can’t not think about it,” Graham says. “It’s really shaped the person who I am today.”
When she does think about it, she tries to remember the positive things that came from her experience.
“My relationships with family and friends have become stronger,” Graham says. “I try and value everything a little more.”
Writing about her horrific accident and courageous recovery also turned out to be a positive experience. “It gave me an opportunity to reflect on everything,” she says. “My outlook on life [since the accident] had completely changed.”
Despite some lingering side effects, like short-term memory problems and back pains, she is excited about what lies ahead. “In five years, I see myself doing similar work, continuing working with people with disabilities, or going back to school to study speech therapy or public relations,” Graham says.
JMU will always hold a special place in her heart. “All JMU professors were excellent,” Graham says, but Media Arts and Design professor JoAnne Holman sticks out in her mind as being one of the best.
“She encouraged me by expecting the same high caliber of work from me as she did from all of her students,” Graham says about her former professor. “There were times when school was very hard for me and I can’t tell you how great it was to have such caring and understanding professors like Holman. She was readily available and very accommodating.”
Holman shares similar feelings of respect and admiration for Graham and admits she probably would never have known about the tragic accident had Graham not told her. “I remember the first time she told me she would have to take her exams on the computer,” Holman says. “She came right out and told me [about her accident]. It’s telling that I didn’t know. She acted the same as everyone else; there was no reason to treat her differently. She made it normal.”
Emily Graham’s story is a rare case of somebody who refused to accept what she was told would be her future. She has proven to be a strong, courageous college graduate with what is sure to be a successful career ahead of her. Though memories of her accident will always remain, her eyes are fixed on her future.