Woman Wakes Up One Day Before Being Taken Off Life-Support, Runs Boston Marathon Five Months Later
An Oklahoma woman who nearly died from a ‘catastrophic brain injury’ in November ran the Boston Marathon on Monday.
Last November, Rachel Foster and her husband, John, were riding electric scooters around their neighborhood when Rachel fell off, sustaining serious injuries to her head and multiple broken bones. She was rushed to the hospital.
“They basically said a severely catastrophic brain injury, which I later found in medical literature, is a term for pretty much the worst type of brain injury, where there’s not really a chance of coming back,” said John.
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The 35-year-old was in a coma for 10 days and doctors had to replace part of her skull with an implant. Doctors told her family that she may never regain consciousness.
However, just one day before she was scheduled to be removed from life support, Rachel miraculously woke up.
After receiving surgery and treatment at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Rachel began her difficult journey of rehabilitation and recovery.
Despite facing immense challenges, Rachel, who has always been a passionate runner, was determined to not let her accident keep her from doing what she loves.
She spent weeks relearning basic motor skills and didn’t walk again until January 22.
With unwavering resolve, Rachel trained for the Boston Marathon and qualified for the prestigious race in 2022 after participating in the OKC Memorial Marathon. Despite the physical and mental obstacles she faced during her recovery, Rachel remained focused on her goal.
“I’ve been so excited for this day. It literally helped me walk again. I know that sounds crazy but the thought of doing this, and being here, helped me first walk, then jog, and then run,” Foster said.
On Monday, the day of the Boston Marathon, Rachel’s hard work paid off as she crossed the finish line with a time of 5:44:46, showcasing her incredible determination, perseverance, and strength. Her remarkable achievement is a testament to the power of resilience and the human spirit.
Rachel knows her story is a miracle: “It really was a miracle. I should not be alive right now and I definitely should not be running marathons.”
Rachel is a winner of epic proportions.
Her journey from a devastating accident to completing one of the most iconic marathons in the world shows that our best prognoses for vulnerable patients are sometimes terribly inaccurate. We should give vulnerable patients like Rachel more time and support for them to recover and thrive.
Every single human being is created in the image of God, and miracles occur every day.
LifeNews Note: Kim Schwartz writes for Texas Right to Life.
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