CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — November 15, 2020 is the day that changed Sophia Beattie's life forever.
“We were going out for a motorcycle ride, and we were hit by a truck," she said. "It kind of came out of nowhere."
Beattie's boyfriend, who was on the motorcycle with her, ended up with a broken bone in his leg, but her injuries were life-threatening.
They included bleeding in the brain and internal bleeding from severed organs along with a bevy of broken bones including both sides of her jaw.
The accident happened as they were merging onto South Padre Island Drive near Waldron, thankfully near Corpus Christi Medical Center Bay Area Hospital.
“If this place wasn’t standing here, she probably would have died on transport," CCMC trauma surgeon Dr. Robert Flores said. "That’s how unstable she was.”
Doctors were able to stabilize her, but it would take 10 surgeries over the next two months to repair all of the damage the accident caused to her body.
Flores believes that every employee at the hospital took part in her care during her 68-day stay.
"We had every discipline involved," Dr. Flores said. "And I think everyone’s very proud that she’s able to get on with her life after such a tragic event.”
Beattie is very thankful for the hard work of all the doctors and nurses who treated her.
"They kind of became my family there," she said. "I have my life back thanks to them. I can walk and speak and everything."
Beattie is sharing her story during Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
If you'd like tips on how to ride motorcycles safely or share the road with them in cars and trucks, clicking here will take you to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation website.
