Road to recovery

Survivors of serious crashes face life altering changes. A young woman was hit by a car in 2017 and broke 10 bones in her body. She had to learn to walk again and is now coping with PTSD.

Maddy Allen was walking home with her fiance after celebrating her 19th birthday when a car hit her from behind. Her head smashing through the windshield.

While the driver took off, Maddy was left lying on the ground in grave condition with damage to her liver and her spleen.Today, Maddy still can’t feel her left leg after breaking the largest bone in her body. She also had major breaks to her pelvis and hip socket.

Maddy’s life was put on hold to learn to walk again.

Jake Tumber, a local physiotherapist says many patients with severe injuries struggle emotionally. That’s something Maddy is still coming to terms with.

Less than a minute away from her home, Maddy was hit on the sidewalk and thrown 20 feet. To this day, 6 months later, she still can not come by the section of Main St. E without having a panic attack.

Maddy has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, “I hate Honda Civics, especially blue ones. Hearing ambulances is a big one, they come down Main Street all the time and I turn into a deer in headlights.”

While Maddy works on her own healing she’s still left with one unanswered question. Why would the man behind the wheel that night drive away?

The accused, 31 year old Sufian Nineza, is expected to return to court later this month to enter a guilty plea. He’s been charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm and failing to remain. Each carrying a maximum of 10 years in jail.