Cindy

Age: 61

Location: West Virginia

Injury or relation: Mother

Hobbies/Interests: Travel, needlework, reading, writing, advocacy, volunteering

Why did you become a peer mentor? I’ve been a disability advocate my whole life. Even so, I still experienced a really rough time after I fell asleep at the wheel; the accident that followed caused my daughter Beth's spinal cord injury. I wish I had connected with a mentor who understood trauma and the daily struggle. If I had, I’m certain I would have healed more quickly. Today, twenty years after the car accident, my family agrees with me that our lives are better — not in spite of Beth’s injury, but because of it. I share our story in my Struggling with Serendipity book and blog. My goal as a peer mentor is to help others find hope, especially since I couldn’t see it for way too long. And, if you never give up? Hope wins.