by Jill C. Mason (Author)
Couldn't Happen to Me offers hope to families facing the unthinkable: a vibrant 26-year-old mowed down by a hopeless drunk and left for dead. Author Jill Mason has battled back from expectations that she would not recover beyond a vegetative state to fully independent living even as she continues to struggle with traumatic brain injury and life in a wheelchair. Her story begins in 2004 when she is left in a crumpled heap on the side of a Santa Rosa highway, her boyfriend killed outright. Drawing on family journals and her own hazy memories, she details the challenges of the first few months while she was hospitalized and then the painfully long recovery in her childhood home. Against all odds, she successfully pushes to regain her independence. Fearlessly honest, Jill generously shares her frustrations as well as practical advice on types of chairs, buying a car, and dating. Most of all, she offers her indomitable spirit as an inspiration to her readers.