The Bright Light Girl

BASED ON A TRUE STORY THE BRIGHT LIGHT GIRL

The Bright Light Girl
Based On A True Story
By: Emmer28

I never understood why bad things happen to people. Like what happened to my awesome sister Libbie Marie Harper. I'll start Libbie's story at a cheer competition in the middle of summer in Savannah Georgia. I was sitting with my family waiting to see Libbie'steam come out patiently. Libbie was a cute and sweet blond 10 year. My little sister Emily, who is 5 and autistic was cheering too. I waited and waited till finally Libbie's team came out. They had big pink bows in their heads. They were very good. Especially my sister, the flyer. Sometimes I got so jealous of my little sister's abilities that I would never be able to do. My sister did a backflip across the mats. My family and I cheered for her. Her team did other cool stuff and then they finished. I honestly thought they did very well. Then my little sister Emily's team came out. They were so cute, Emily is autistic but very good at cheer. Then a person came out and gave them their awards. Then they chose the winners in every age group. The judges were talking then announced Libbies team the winner of her age group. My family cheered. Libbie would be going to regional competitions. When all the awards were given we got Libbie and Emily. Libbie was talking to her friends and Emily ran up to my mom and gave her a hug. Emily had a little trophy in her hands, probably a participation award. My mom had to steal Libbie away from her friends.   " Good job Libbie" I said.   " Thanks Ashley" Libby said in her sweet voice. She looked very sweaty.  We walked our mini van and on the way home on the highway we talked about the cool things Emily and Libbie did. Then on the highway we saw a horrible car wreck. A car was crushed between two trucks. "Oh, I hope those people are okay." Libbie expressed with a sad tone of voice.   "Im sure the doctors will fix them" Mom answered, with the usual mom answer to these situations.  "And gib dem a lollipop afta" said cute little Emily. We entered our neighborhood it was full of tree with a pretty lake. At home me and my sisters waited impatiently for our cousins to arrive. Libbie put down her silky blond locks and put on a  pink floral dress, and mom put Emily's  blond hair into pigtails and Emily wore the same dress as Libbie . I did not match them anymore since I'm 12. I wore a navy blue dress. We dressed fancy for the dinner we are having with our relatives. Soon a green car came up, I will never forget this car. It parked in the driveway and my brunette cousins Lorelei and Michael jumped out and ran to the door to give us hugs. Michael was seven and Lorelei was 11. We gave out hugs and unloaded there car. Then my Aunt and my mom were talking about car arrangements.. I rode with my uncle and Aunt and Libbie and Lorelei. Lorelie sat in the middle seat and me and Libbie sat on each side of her. Libbie pulled out her pink iphone and started making dubsmashs with Lorelei while I looked out the window at the clear highway. "Ashley we need you for this dubsmash" Libbie asked.   "Sure" . We made a dubsmash of some minion thing and we kept re taking it cause I didn't say my part at the right time. We made more and kept laughing and giggling. Then we approached a red light. My sister was looking down at Lorelei's phone, and then a big truck crashed the back of our car. My sister bashes her head into the chair in front of her. Lorelei's arm hits the chair in front of me and my legs crash into the seat in front of me. I can hardly hear or breathe and I can't feel my legs. My sister looks dead and Lorelei looks like she is screaming in pain. My aunt jumps out of the car and dials 911 and my uncle can't get out of his seat. Then I heard sirens coming with the little hearing I had left. The doctors took my sister out of the car, then my cousin. I wanted to get out of the car but I couldn't move my legs. Then a lady picks me up and puts me on a stretcher. My stretcher gets put next to my sister in the ambulance. Doctors were all around my sister. I couldn't hear but I could tell she was in a bad condition. Then my mother ran in and burst in tears. My dad came too, he knelt by my stretcher and was telling me things but I couldn't hear him. My eyes got heavy and I closed them as my dad held my hand. I woke up in a empty hospital room with my mom and Emily in it and I could hear again. Emily was studying my face.  "Mommy Ashley woke up" I heard her little voice say. My mom ran to my bedside and gave me a kiss. I could tell she had been crying from the dry tears on her cheeks. I tried to move my legs but I couldn't.   " What is going on?" I asked very confused. My mom had tears in her eyes and Emily was very content watching Elmo on the Hospital TV.   "You've been out for a week, and Lorelei is out of the hospital with a broken arm."    I cut her off, " What about me and Libbie." I could hardly speak.  " Well... you... can't walk anymore, the doctor said your legs will never work again because you bashed them into the chair." She cried. I almost cried. I don't want to be in a wheelchair my whole life! I can't do track or Ballet anymore. My mom continued crying, " Libbie... the doctor says it's a miracle if she lives. She broke her ribs and has a cracked skull. She can't walk or talk anymore. She also hit her head hard so her mind is down too." My mom couldn't speak anymore her face was covered in tears. A tall man who was the doctor came in.  "Ashley may I speak to you." He said.  " Sure"   "Your legs will work if you go to a therapy place in Atlanta but, the Therapy will not fix your legs it will help you walk short distances. You are all better you and your mother may leave." He said. My mother nodded her head and the doctor rolled a wheelchair over. He lifted me up and set me in the ugly wheelchair. My mother rolled me out of the room.  "Can I see Libbie." I asked.  " No she is in surgery, your father is getting lunch."
TWO WEEKS LATER
I still have not been able to see Libbie. She has been in critical condition for two weeks. I have been wheeled in and out of the hospital, waiting for me and Libbie to go to Atlanta to get Therapy. Today I could see Libbie again. She is getting released from the hospital. I was sitting with my father and Emily in the hospital waiting room. I checked my instagram, for the last two weeks it had been blowing up with pray for Libbie and Ashley posts. I looked up from my phone and saw nurses, doctors and my mom rolling Libbie over. She was not the same Libbie I grew up with. Her mouth was open, her head was on the back of her wheelchair and she was fidgeting.   " Ibbie do you wanna pay with me" Emily asked. Libbie didn't answer just moved her arms some more. They wheeled me and Libbie to our car and put us in the car. On the way there when Libbie's favorite song came on the radio. she wouldn't sing along like she used to. Libbie didn't start the funny family conversations. All she did was sit and play with her hands. Emily was very confused. She tried to get Libbie to play with her but Libbie would get irritated. It was an unusually quiet car ride.
FIVE MONTHS LATER.....
It was time for me and Libbie to go back to Savannah. I have been learning how to walk short distances and move my arms better. Libbie has been learning sign language, how to breathe better and how to walk again. Me and my mom have been learning how to know if Libbie's happy, sad, mad or surprised. Me and my mom are also learning how to read sign language. When we got to the house all our family was there. Libbie acted surprised and excited with her face and arms. Lorelei's arm was out of the huge cast she wore. When everyone left me and Libbie were alone in a room. Then it hit me. Libbie would never be the same again. She would never get married, she can't have kids, she can't do cheer and she can't live a normal life. She isn't my unique little sister anymore all she can do is sit. I found myself crying, all of the memories with Libbie came back. " Do you remember when we went to Australia and we held the koalas, or when you won the cheer competition a few months back. When it was your first day of kindergarten and I walked you too class. When Em was born? I miss you Libbie come back!" Before I knew it I crawled to her wheel chair and hugged her and cried all over her. I felt some tears come on my head. I looked up and saw Libbie crying too. She made the I miss you too with sign language. Then I knew, even though Libbie couldn't do much anymore. The old Libbie will always be here in her and our hearts.
THREE MONTHS LATER
It is early spring, and Libbie's old school and Emily's school is having a special event. This will be Libbie's first time being in front of her old friends. The fifth grade teachers had to tell the kids in advance about what happened to Libbie. My mom wheeled me and Libbie onto the school playground. Already I saw some of my old friends from middle school helping out. I tried to hide my face. "I'm so sorry this happened to you guys."  "Is that Libbie?!" "Can you walk Ashley?" "Oh my gosh what happened!", I heard from all the middle schoolers. Libbie would wave at random strangers and they would smile back at her. The people would stare at our wheelchairs. Then the teachers and kids came out. First Emily ran to us bringing all her first grade friends. All of Libbie's old teachers came and cried over her and told her she was beautiful. The teachers had a normal conversation with me, not mentioning my legs. Then the fifth grade came to Libbie. They all gasped, some of Libbie's inner circle cried. The annoying boys in Libbies grade couldnt stop staring at the girl they once had a crush on. Then Libbies best friend came over and hugged Libbie, " We need a sleepover! My mom said that I could come over tonight. We can watch Once Upon A Time. While you were gone the new season came out." Libbie got a big smile on her face. Her friend was talking to her like there was nothing wrong with her. Then her friend asked me, " Will Libbie ever be the same again."  " She is the same Libbie, she just can't communicate. She still has Libbie's big smile, and that is what Libbie is known for, the bright light inside her."