Woman paralyzed in car accident defying the odds as she makes history at graduation
STILLWATER, Okla. - A woman left paralyzed after a terrible car accident is defying the odds.
Mary Beth Davis made history this weekend by becoming one of the few to graduate from Oklahoma State University as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine who uses a wheelchair.
"I'm really very blessed and what an opportunity I get to have," said Mary Beth Davis, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
Just nine years ago as an undergrad student at OSU, she was on her way home to Guthrie to visit her parents for the weekend when her drive took a terrifying turn.
"Distracted driving, took my eyes off the road, overcorrected, went down a steep hill and flipped my truck twice," said Davis.
She broke her neck and was paralyzed.
"Those were some of the darkest times that I had," said Davis. "All I was worried about was can I go back to school, can I still drive, am I going to be able to have kids?"
Because of her dedication and drive, she went back to school the next semester in the spring of 2011.
Fast forward nine years, Davis just graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
But, it wasn't easy.
"It's definitely not an easy profession," said Davis. "I kind of have to train and adapt myself to be ambidextrous and use my left hand for like surgical procedures and stuff like that."
As she's overcoming those obstacles, she's hoping to inspire others who use wheelchairs to become veterinarians as well.
"If I could expand on that and reach out to more people and there be more of a group to connect with and have people relate with each other that would be helpful," said Davis.
Davis already has a couple job offers around the metro, but is warning others to be careful on the road.
"Don't text and drive," said Davis. "Just be careful on the road. One text message is not worth your life or somebody else's."
For now, she's enjoying time out of school and planning for her wedding in November.