MONTEREY, Calif.- It's been exactly one year since since Pacific Grove teenager Chelsie Hill was paralyzed in a drunk driving accident in Monterey.
Central Coast News has been following her incredible recovery all year long.
"I keep it with me now. It's kind of like a survival thing," said Hill.
She clings to the ring she was wearing the night of the accident. She shows the bent metal and says much like the ring, she may be beaten up but she is not broken.
"I think about that night everyday of my life, but then I also think about how strong I am to get through it and I feel like we are all survivors in the accident. We all survived a terrible accident."
Including the driver, Aaron Corn, who will be sentenced next week for the DUI accident that caused her injuries. Chelsie hasn't spoken with Aaron since the night of the accident, but on the one year anniversary she is thinking about it.
"I want to maybe this weekend go see him and see how he's doing, but before that I haven't been able to get to that point because I don't know what to say, or how I'm going to feel," said Hill.
Chelsie says she doesn't think about that night for long though. These days she's too busy popping wheelies on her custom wheelchair. A gift from friends at the rehab facility she goes to in southern California.
Its expensive, but Chelsie says therapy every other month is thanks to the money raised by people on the Central Coast.
"I probably would not be the person I am today, because that keeps me going every single day, knowing that as long as I workout and have faith, hopefully I will walk again," said Hill.
Besides therapy, she's talking a lot to high school students just like her, only a year ago.
''Instead of sitting here feeling sorry for myself I want to get out there and help others because I wish someone would have helped me. I wish someone would've pulled me out of the car, but we all make decisions and we live with them, all of us live with them everyday of our lives," said Hill.
Chelsie is living that decision everyday, now working to help others with spinal chord injuries. Using that ring as a reminder that things could've been a lot worse and will be a lot better down the road, "I like bling stuff, and so since it's still sparkly it makes me think there's still hope."
Chelsie and her father have started a new foundation to fund rehab for people with spinal chord injuries here in Northern California.
To get involved: www.walkandrollfoundation.org or email jon@walkandrollfoundation.org or chelsie@walkandrollfoundation.org or call 1-855-925-WALK
