Survivor Stories

Jamie Duplechine

We all have a choice to either neglect life and let it pass us by, or embrace it and go along for the ride… I have chosen, despite my physical limitations, to jump back into the driver's seat and move forward with life.

“Falling Down is How We Learn to Rise Up!" At 25, on the night of my best audition, I went home to find that I was locked out of my 5th floor apartment. I went to the roof to see if there was a way in through my window. Looking over the edge is my last memory.

I have a traumatic brain injury. I was in a coma for 2 ½ months and in the hospital for 4 ½ months with left side paralysis. There my passion shifted. The beginning of my coma resembled an intimate union with God. I had a sense of being nowhere that I had ever been on earth, such peace and tranquility filled me.

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After my husband suffered a spinal cord injury, I reached out to BIALA and found not only a wealth of information but an organization that gave me hope. At times, things seemed very bleak but I would call the resource center, and they were able to help me through those difficult moments. I will forever be grateful for the compassion and understanding that I received when I called the helpline.

Angel Hallage

Caregiver

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During an incredibly difficult time, when I called the BIALA hotline desperate for help, I was greeted by someone who showed that she truly cared, and I can't say thank you enough. She was a life support for me, and I don't know how I would have survived without her. She was there when I had no one else and brought me peace and comfort and understanding. There is no amount of money or thanks in the world that could repay her for her kindness and compassion. She was and continues to be such a blessing to me.

Catherine Genovese

Caregiver

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Attending a Connections Circle event and meeting new people and learning that I can still enjoy life even with my spinal cord injury was a blessing. I haven't picked up a bowling ball in 30 years, and today, when I did, my first bowl was a strike. This smile on my face won't go away.

Chris Alford

Individual with SCI

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