TOWSON, Md. - Towson senior Sarah Smith had a childhood dream of playing NCAA volleyball. Before she even completed her high school career, that aspiration was almost shattered. Competing in several sports since the age of three, Smith was developing into a physically and mentally strong student-athlete. However, late in her high school career she suffered a devastating accident that would challenge her fortitude, and change the course of her life.

In October of 2011, Smith was in her senior season as a libero/defensive specialist on the volleyball team at Spring Grove High School in Pennsylvania. On the night of the annual homecoming parade, she and several other seniors were featured on one of the floats. When a friend fell to the ground while getting off the platform, Smith leaned over to check on her. Fortunately, her friend was fine. However, Smith then slipped on some loose hay and fell off as well, landing on her feet. As she touched the ground, one of the float's tires immediately rolled over her foot, trapping it and pulling her completely underneath. The huge contraption rolled over almost the full length of her 5'2" frame, from her right leg up to her shoulders. Fortunately, she was able to move her head out of the path of the tire, avoiding possible fatal injuries. Smith was rushed to the emergency room where doctors determined she suffered a compression fracture of the L4 vertebra, lacerated liver and spleen, and partially collapsed lung. She spent five days in the hospital, three of those in the ICU, and several attached to a respirator to help her breathe.

"My dream was to play volleyball in college. They knew right away after doing x-rays and tests that I wasn't going to be paralyzed because I could feel my legs. I just kept telling them my back hurt. I do remember doctors coming in and telling me I probably wouldn't play competitively anymore. I was like, 'Uh, NO,' and just kind of laughed about that."

Until then, Smith had intended to become a Physician Assistant (PA). However, while recovering in the ICU, she was custom fitted for a back brace by Sarah Wooden, a Certified Prosthetist Orthotist (CPO). Smith was fascinated with the process and how it would help her heal. Responding to Smith's curiosity, Wooden talked to her about the career field, including working with amputees. This exponentially fueled her interest, as Smith has a cousin who is a double amputee of the legs. Once recovered, she shadowed Wooden at Ability Prosthetics & Orthotics and fell further in love with the potential career.

After being discharged from the hospital and getting back to school, Smith was focused on returning to the court. Though instead of volleyball practice, much of the next several weeks consisted of bedrest, movement limitations and both physical and respiratory therapy. Still, it never even occurred to her to quit.

"I knew it was going to be tough, but I just kept going. I just kept thinking, 'It could have been worse,'" Smith said.

Several months later, she progressively returned to play in her final season of travel club volleyball, performing well enough to be recruited to Towson. In her freshman year as a Tiger, Smith was still fighting through some level of discomfort every single day. Activities involving bending backwards, like serving, hurt the most because her vertebrae would actually grind against each other. Yet she refused to complain or pull herself out of practice.

She said, "It's going to hurt all the time. I just wanted to get over it and play and be there with my team doing drills."

Smith credits the efforts of the university's extraordinary sports medicine staff with helping her return to being active ahead of the schedule originally predicted by doctors. Through their diligence, she achieved court time in each of her four years as a Tiger. Dr. Kari Kindschi, medical director for Towson's athletic teams, led the efforts to reduce and manage Smith's pain. Previous volleyball athletic trainer Isaac Trujillo and current trainer Kellie Loehr, led her rehab and prepped her for practice every day. Volleyball strength and conditioning coach Jeremy Pick guided her to perform impeccable technique to avoid injury while pushing her personal records. This balance led her to excel in the weight room. Team massage therapist Bill Rodick helped ease her muscle tension. Consulting physician Dr. Paul Tortolani, director of the MedStar Union Memorial Spine Program, diagnosed her with lumbar degenerative disc disease during her sophomore year at Towson, and her condition was closely monitored. Smith states she is now stronger than before the injury because of the prescribed rehab and new focus of lifting weights. As one of the smallest Tigers, Smith isn't moving the most overall weight in terms of pounds, but she is one of the top performers in bodyweight exercises.

That was the athlete side of her experience at Towson. As a student she was laser-focused on becoming a CPO and helping people like Wooden had helped her. Majoring in exercise science within the Department of Kinesiology, her classes, professors, facilities, and ample hands-on experience gave her the requisite knowledge to be prepared for graduate school. Chemistry finally clicked for the first time. Functional anatomy, physiology and anatomy were courses crucial to her training. Biomechanics taught her about gait and other body movements. Ancillary training in Psychology 101, a core requirement at Towson, and psychology of human development helped her learn how to talk to patients in tough situations. In her career, she knows she will often need to calm people who are crying due to a myriad of adjustments and challenges. Smith has an ultimate goal of founding her own practice. To help prepare her for that endeavor, she is also completing a minor in business administration.

Every student in the exercise science program at Towson must successfully complete a vetted internship. Smith did research and found one conveniently located just minutes from campus. She talked with Dr. Jennifer Moxley (exercise science internship coordinator and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology) and got the Hanger Clinic on the approved list. The clinic was equally interested in Sarah because they don't get many interns in such a specialized field. With CPO Greg Sachs as her supervisor, she gained experience working with a wide range of ages and needs. Smith enjoyed everyone she worked with, but gravitated toward the kids who are amputees but still want to be active and play sports. She explains that some of the stories can be "heart-wrenching," and made her think how fortunate she is to have full use of all four limbs. She says it was sometimes hard to keep it together hearing the stories of the kids, and she teared up on a few occasions. Yet, it helped her further hone her sympathy and ability to support patients. Much of this she was already learning through her cousin.

Furthering her field hours, Smith traveled to Florida this past winter to work with Camp No Limits. Part of the No Limits Limb Loss Foundation, this non-profit organization was created in 2004 by occupational therapist Mary Leighton. The camps are held in several locations around the U.S. with the mission of educating and empowering children with limb loss or limb difference, and their families. Smith was thrilled work with the kids and help them improve in running, biking, and even climbing a high ropes course with the aid of a harness. She also gained experience in physical therapy with the kids. She fondly recalls helping teach several how to use running blades. Others she taught how to walk properly, as many children with prosthetics swing their legs out because they can't bend their knees to bring the leg through, which alters their gait.  

One of the special campers she met was a 10-year-old boy who survived bacterial meningitis, but it forced doctors to amputate both arms above the elbow and both legs above the knee when he was just an infant. Since he was so young when that occurred, being an amputee is all he has ever known. Smith was in awe of the capabilities of this young boy, as she saw him feed himself and even play the piano!

"I got to help those kids and it just made me feel really happy and more proud of them. But, it also made me feel proud of myself that I got the chance to go and do that," Smith said.

Only 13 institutions in the U.S. offer the M.S. in Orthotics and Prosthetics. It is worth noting that these schools require a psychology course before you apply and Smith already had that fulfilled as part of her bachelor's here at Towson. Prepared with her undergraduate education and experience, Smith was accepted into several programs, ultimately choosing to attend the University of Pittsburgh.

After graduating CPO school, Smith plans to work with all types of patients in the field to be well-rounded, then most likely turn her focus to prosthetics. Her plans to hang out her own shingle include consulting with her father, who has extensive business experience.

Although she still feels some level of pain every single day, it doesn't hold her back from being active and pursuing her next batch of goals. Staying involved in the sport she worked so hard to play at the highest level, Smith currently coaches a nearby club volleyball team and is physically active in practice. She also personally competes in several tournaments, both indoors and out.

She is also fascinated by the Paralympic sport of sitting volleyball, and would love to get into coaching a team.

She says, "It's so cool what they can do. They're so good. With one arm! How do you do that? It's unreal!"

Smith credits her optimism and determination to her parents, who are the people she admires most.

"There are always going to be obstacles, no matter what. Whether it's an injury, whether it's something mental … there's always going to be some obstacle trying to keep you down, but you just gotta keep pushing. If you drive yourself, if you keep pushing, you'll be able to get there," Smith said.

She is living proof of that.