Meet Abbey Frantz, a trauma survivor who refuses to let her disabilities define her in a negative light. Instead, she has embraced her challenges and transformed them into sources of strength.

Abbey's life changed dramatically on 24 November 2015, when a horrific auto accident resulted in the amputation of her left arm below the elbow due to compartment syndrome, which also affected her abdomen. The vehicle she was riding in was T-boned by an eighteen-wheeler at highway speeds, pushing them nearly 75 yards before coming to a stop. Abbey's injuries were extensive: a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, a shattered pelvis, crushed lungs, a lacerated liver, acute renal failure, and pneumonia, among other injuries.

Abbey has been using a TASKA CX since February 2023, and she wears it every day. It is her third myoelectric hand and, in her opinion, by far the best. In contrast to her previous prosthetics, the TASKA CX allows her to control the speed of her finger movements, a feature that amazes her. The MyTASKA app has also been user-friendly, enhancing her experience.

Abbey's journey expresses remarkable resilience. Her nieces and nephews have grown up witnessing her progress from a wheelchair to walker, and now to a cane, under the care of her physiatrist. They also love helping her out with things like carrying in groceries, taking out her trash, and various other tasks she finds difficult. Her mother and father guided her through life until she regained the mental capacity to do so on her own. They take pride in sharing Abbey's story and the positive mindset she has cultivated.

Abbey considers herself to be ‘handicapable’ because while she is handicapped in more ways than one, she is also very capable.

Abbey publicly shared her journey as a Victim Impact Speaker on National Trauma Survivor’s Day for the Trauma Survivors Network. She is currently working on her memoir, titled It Is What It Is: A Young Woman’s Story of Extreme Trauma, Intense Rehabilitation, and Undeniable Resilience.

Prior to the accident, Abbey worked as a bartender and waitress and was not particularly close with her family. Now, her parents are her best friends, and her family is a top priority, second only to her mental health. Abbey enjoys puzzles, sudoku, word jumbles, and crosswords, activities she believes contributed to her recovery from the traumatic brain injury.

She now works part-time at the front desk of Minges Creek Athletic Club, where she cherishes her job, colleagues, and the club members. She has the date of her accident tattooed on her right arm in Roman numerals to commemorate the positive changes that have followed.

Abbey has shown that it is possible to let the challenges of life define you positively if you choose. “After all, we cannot change the past. What we can do is move forward with what we have left. A promising future.” she adds.

*Photos credit: Bailey Morgan Photography