College holds special graduation at the hospital for nursing student after she met with an accident

Some stories teach us about courage and resilience and this is one of them. MacKenzie Maier was a nursing student at  Louisiana Tech University and she met with a terrible accident, just days before her graduation ceremony. She received a special ceremony at the hospital. Maier was with her friend when she left a party, “My friend was driving. She went off the side of the road into some trees,” Maier told Fox 8 Local First. "I was in the backseat. I had fallen asleep.” “I couldn’t move my legs. I could not move my hands, and I was like, this isn’t good.”

This accident was devastating as it injured her spinal cord and she had to be airlifted for emergency surgery and was then taken to Touro in New Orleans for rehabilitation. “It’s something that doesn’t happen to you,” said Mallory Ashmore, Maier’s sister. “You don’t expect this to happen to you. So obviously, it was very shocking, very upsetting.” Maier’s mother, Teri Francois, said, “It was a little traumatizing because we didn't know what was what, but once we knew that she was alive, we knew that anything was going to be possible," she said, according to 4 WWL-TV.

Last week on June 23, Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. presented her with a diploma from the hospital. She was surrounded by her loved ones during this special moment. "Giving people support as they push through adversity, celebrating their success, pays huge dividends. Not just for the person but for all of us,” Cassidy said, per Fox 8 Local First. “It is a reminder to us to help that struggling person. They will push through, and they will come back and bless us all." He encouraged Maier on how she would be "such a great" nurse." He added, “All the adversity that you have had will bless somebody in the future because you will be able to tell them there is hope."

 Louisiana Tech President Les Guice also spoke on this occasion, “Despite the many challenges and trials you encountered during your time at Louisiana Tech, it was you who set goals and worked tirelessly to achieve them,” Guice said. But this was not the first challenge, Maier had faced. At age 4, her parents were informed that she only had a 30 percent chance of survival and she was diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma. This was an inspiration in trying to become a nurse. “I love the kids," she said. “I'm a big kid girl, plus I like the critical care part of it. It keeps you on your toes, a little challenging. I've seen rougher sides of it, and I was that kid growing up. So, I feel like I have a special connection with them.” During her recovery period, she will live with her sister and be cared for by her. “It's a blessing that I get to help her with this,” Ashmore said. “I'm really excited about all the progress she's made. And she's going to do great things.”