Roxanne wearing her prosthetic leg
The humdrum of the
Thursday morning erupted in pandemonium as two cars raced along Spanish Town,
one reeled out of control, mowing down five students of the Tivoli Gardens
Comprehensive High School. Horror and chaos ensued as screams pierced the
morning air.
At minutes past
7am, what should have been a regular morning walk to the bus stop on November
15, 2007 turned into a nightmare for 15 year old Roxanne Johnson who was now
pinned against a barbed wire, left leg smashed by the vehicle, dazed by the
impact. “When I saw two of the other girls get up, I didn’t know that my leg
was crushed, so I was about to get up, too, but I realized that it felt heavy.
I looked down, I could see the bone, the car ripped through my tibia, and the
ankle was detached with only a piece of skin holding it together,” she
recounted. “I saw persons running and screaming and there was total chaos.”
Her schoolmates
sustained minor injuries, but she had to undergo emergency surgery at the
Kingston Public Hospital. After four months in the hospital and subsequent
surgeries, nothing saved her leg. It was amputated in 2012, triggering her
deepest fears, dragging on ill-fated memories, and spiralling her into
depression.
“I was worried
because I lost my leg. I didn’t get any counseling to deal with the aftermath
so I kept wondering, am I going to ever get a prosthetic leg? Am I going to use
crutches the rest of my life? How I’m going to cope and fit in society? Will I
ever find a husband?”
Her life changed
after she saw a double amputee, Sarah Dunbar on TV. Determined that she must
meet this woman who had overcome so much, yet still retained her jovial nature,
she made her way to find her. The conversation paved the way for her growth,
giving her reason to believe her life could be great despite her setback.
“Sarah told me
that she drives, she does everything, and she was able to achieve her goals, so
I shouldn’t worry about it. She counseled me and that uplifted my spirit,” said
Johnson. Now 24 years old, and wearing a prosthetic leg, she continues to use each
day to demonstrate her new lease on life. She has secured five passes at the
Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate level, one at the Caribbean
Advanced Proficiency Exam level, certificates from UTech and the Management Institute
for National Development, and she is looking at doing a degree in Nursing.
Paula Fletcher, Executive Director of the National
Road Safety Council points out that road crash victims often
experience a spectrum of emotions and life-changing circumstances. “At the crux
of that is coming to terms with the fact that things will be different, and
often they have to endure the consequences of these crashes for years. As we
commemorate World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR) this year, I
am asking all Jamaicans to share an encouraging word with those who have been
affected by road crashes,” Fletcher said.
WDR is observed annually on the third Sunday
in November by an increasing number of countries globally. The day is dedicated
to remembering the millions injured or killed in road crashes, and their
families and communities, as well as to pay tribute to the dedicated emergency
crews, police and medical professionals who daily deal with the traumatic
aftermath of road death and injury.