Jody and Karen had been on a trip in Central America. They flew from San Diego to Costa Rica (ironically), because it was too dangerous to drive in Central America. They bused through Central America, and were now driving back to where Jody lived in Vancouver British Columbia. They had stopped for a rest at Jody’s father’s condominium in Palm Spring’s California. Jody’s mother (Gail Schloss) was called late in the evening, because her name was an emergency contact on Jody’s passport.

It was after a beautiful stress free trip to Central America that the nightmare began.

I would say that it continues to this day, but I am proud of myself for all that I have accomplished! We flew back to San Diego from Mexico City. Unfortunately or fortunately, or fortunately due to Retrograde Amnesia the airport in Mexico City is the last thing I remember before my accident. From Mexico City we flew to San Diego. We got a drive to my dad’s condo in Palm Springs, and then we decided that we were going to Las Vegas. This meant driving the entire trip through the desert. At time that sounded fine. We had been given no warnings that my car was top heavy, so we didn’t think twice about going. The wind in the desert was wild that day! I don’t remember any of this, so I can only tell you what I have been told. We were on the highway, and we got caught by the wind, My car flipped four times. Unfortunately Karen’s head hit the glass window, and she died quickly. I broke four ribs, punctured my lung, broke my jaw, and I got a severe closed head injury. An ER nurse came to my accident site, which was fortunate, because she knew not to move my head. I was taken to the San Bernadino Hospital by emergency helicopter . My mom was called because I had written the number in my passport. They knew who we were only because Karen was 5’1, and I was 5″9. I was in a severe coma with a glasgow scale of 4. Karen’s family had a funeral in Muskoka near the lake that Karen loved. My best friend was Karen’s sister Joanne. After the funeral, they came back, so Joanne could be there for me.

After that started the tedious, very long and trying Rehabilitation period of my life.