By Stephanie Burke

Aimee Copeland is a typical 24 year old.  She graduated University of Georgia with honors and is now attending University of West Georgia’s graduate program working towards a degree in humanistic psychology with a focus on eco-psychology.  When not in school she worked as a waitress at a local café in her home town of Snellville, GA.  Little did Amiee know that her life was about to be forever changed by a simple outing with friends.

On May 1, 2012 Aimee and some friends were zip lining on the Little Tallapoosa River in Carrollton, Ga. The homemade zip line snapped and Amiee fell into the river suffering a gash on her leg that was closed with 22 surgical staples.  The pain in her leg caused her to make several trips to the hospital and doctor that week.  On Thursday her friend found her unconscious in her apartment.  After arriving at the hospital her family heard the news that rocked their world and changed their lives forever.

Unknown to Aimee, her family, or the doctors that had seen her, Aimee had contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a rare and aggressive flesh-eating bacteria that had entered her bloodstream through her injury. Now Aimee was in a fight for her life.  This was Friday of that same week of her injury and she was in arrest and her family was informed that the only thing that could save her life was to amputate her leg.

Aimee’s family; her Dad Andy, her Mom Donna, and her sister Paige, were left to hope and pray through a journey that would go on for weeks. Aimee was in and out of consciousness barely coherent while she endured the amputation of her remaining foot and both hands.

Then on May 27, 2012 Aimee finally regained consciousness.  She was finally coherent and complaining of pain in her leg.  It was up to her father to explain to her that there was no pain because there was no leg.  Aimee’s response was “Wow”.

Wow has never seemed so apropos. My heart goes out to Aimee and her family. I can’t imagine Aimee’s ordeal or how it must have felt for her family to have to go through this.  Her life forever changed from a fun day with friends.  Imagine waking up after all those weeks and having to wrap your head around that.

Aimee’s father has started a blog chronicling Aimee’s story. To find out more about her and her journey you can visit the blog at http://aimeecopeland.com.