Long Way Back.

The circle was near complete. Two years of tears, heartache and then being told "No, it wasn't possible." But Kathy persevered. Call it determination, guts or just plain pig-headedness, she didn't care. Today, she closed the book on frustration.

One Monday afternoon almost two years ago, Kathy's life changed. A series of events led to her losing her right leg below the knee and her left foot, just above the ankle. She had had both amputated within days of the incident.

The initial outpouring of love from friends and family was much appreciated. Fundraising efforts went a huge way toward financially supporting her recovery, but then the support ended. And depression set in. A sense of loneliness that Kathy had never once felt before.

It began to consume everything in Kathy's life. Her husband, despite his best efforts, was pushed away. He was emotionally scarred from the events of that tragic day too, but when pushed, he fell. He wasn't as strong as Kathy.

When the medical bills kept pouring in, the funds dried up. Kathy was left with the most basic of prosthetics. Budget spending cuts in the health system meant Kathy was out of time and money.

Her day-to-day life continued, but the pain and darkness was enveloping her. Her family were soon at arms length, as her dependency to painkillers and other softer narcotics increased. She was soon seen as an embarrassment to be around.

Then under the neon glow of a flea bag motel, clarity came calling.

Kathy happened to be limping along a dank hallway, when she heard a gun go off. She hobbled back to her room, spotting a gunman escaping down the fire escape.

After being interviewed by police for her statement, a local news reporter called Lauren Justice, saw the deep despair in Kathy's eyes.

She recognised her from the terrible tragedy that cost her the natural ability to walk. She asked if she could do a feature news piece on her struggles since the accident. Lauren wanted to point out the deficiencies in the health care system and the vulnerable people that it left in it's wake.

Kathy initially hesitated, sensing that this stranger in the lemon suit was just out to make a name for herself. But Lauren didn't push too hard. She handed Kathy her business card in a handshake, with a hundred dollar bill wrapped inside.

The turning point was Kathy seeing her own face on television.

She was disgusted at what she saw.

Cracked lips, greasy blonde hair that once was flowing and pockmarked cheeks that showed a malnourished soul. That was enough.

The pig-headedness that drove her down was now working in reverse. She called Lauren, asking for a meeting. She agreed to an interview and made a startling claim. This story could be beneficial for both their lives. Lauren would get her exclusive and Kathy could save herself from an early, despairing death.

That day was the turning point. Kathy had achieved everything and more, since that meeting on camera. If any person thought that during that interview that Kathy was anything other than a nut job, they would have been correct.
But they didn't know the spirit within Kathy.

In the eleven months since the exclusive interview, Kathy had gotten clean. With Lauren's help, she had got a job and her own place. She had reconnected with her family, who were very happy to aid her recovery. With the exposure from the interview, Kathy had reestablished the victims fund.

With one major selling point - she was going to run the marathon that had crippled her.

She was told it wouldn't be possible. But after seven months of physical torture in training, here Kathy was lacing up her sneakers. There was only twenty minutes before the start.

She had done fourteen interviews, with all the major networks and radio stations. She was the inspirational story of the year. Several agents had approached her, asking her to do motivational speaking. 

And none of this would have happened, unless she was standing in the wrong spot at the wrong time, two years ago. But now Kathy was ready for the race of her life. A life chapter closed.