Debbie Bradshaw Baker

I had an unbelievable accident on Veterans Day , November 11, 2022.

I was getting in my car, which was already running, and it must have jumped out of gear and started rolling backwards. I was half in and half out, and the door knocked me down to the concrete driveway. The driver's side tire ran over me ! it started at my right foot, ran over it, then my shin, my thigh and hip and right forearm .
By the Grace of God, I survived it .
My youngest Brother, Brian, was already at my house, as we were headed out to Dinner. He found me as he came out to lock up. He saw me, but no car ! It had rolled down the driveway, hit the curb and then bounced forward and was in my next door neighbors front yard !

Thanks to Brian and the Paramedics, I was quickly able to get to Huntsville Hospital. I was sent through quickly for an MRI .

I kept saying that I had not felt a thing, that everything had just gone quiet, and I felt God holding my hand and Leroy lifting the car, so it would not crush me.

Well, it was truly a miracle.

The paramedics were sure my leg, hip and arm were broken, and had used a back board to lift me to the gurney, as not to cause any more damage.
I was obviously bleeding internally, and the swelling had already reached epic proportions.

When the trauma Doctor came in, he said that I was truly a miracle, because I did not have a single broken bone ! They wrapped me from shoulder to toes on my right side and were able to stop the internal bleeding within 24 hours !

My leg was the worst and ended up having to have surgery in January to remove the huge hematoma from my thigh. It was a long recovery, but I was back working in the Office by April 2023. I was still in Physical Therapy , but doing great. It is definitely a continuous thing, at this age , to keep myself moving.

In August of 2023, the unimaginable happened. My younger Brother, Jeff, GHS Class of 1978, passed away from what was determined to be a heart attack.
It was unexpected and totally caught us all off guard . He has two grown sons, my nephews Jordan and Gray. They live in Tampa Florida and we have been working through this life changing event with them.

After I had lost Leroy when he passed away from Cancer, and losing my Brother, and my accident, I finally got the message.

Life is short, and meant to be enjoyed. Our job is just that, a job.
It's not our life ! It is a means to provide for us, but not suck the joy out of us.

So, I decided that I was ready to retire and try to enjoy life with my family and spend more time enjoying My GrandDaughters and give up 50/60 hour work weeks.

Leroy gave me two of the best sons and their wives and daughters are so loving. I am ' Dee Dee ' to them and it is the best thing anyone has ever called me.

Life is Good and God is Great !

And I am just Happy to be here !

Greatest trip of a lifetime was my freshman year .
Our Spanish Classes went to Mexico ! We were in a bus for 12 days !
We drove from Decatur, and stopped in Loredo Texas to enter Mexico, went to Mexico City and stopped several places along the way. We went to the Ballet Folklorico , the Pyramids of Teotihuacan, saw the floating Gardens with Mariachi Bands, the Silver City of Taxco, and then several days on the Oasis of Acapulco.

What a trip that was for a kid ! Marty Johnson's Sister, Diane was my teacher freshman year and she was so much fun.

It truly was a wonderful trip !