It was a devastating tragedy that no 17-year-old should ever have to go through. On Aug. 30, 2015, Amanda Burt's vehicle was T-boned by a three-quarter-ton pickup at an uncontrolled intersection near Lacombe. Burt would sustain a severe brain injury that would force her to relearn basic motor skills like eating, walking and talking.
While some days have been better than others, Burt has learned quite a bit in the recovery process.
"I've learned that trust is the number one thing because I needed to learn how to trust myself again and to trust that I will get better because when you are in a recovery like I am, there's a lot of people that want to push the recovery and make it faster and I did that at the beginning but then it wasn't until my recent breakdown that I realized I can't do that, it's terrible for my mental health," she said. "I need to focus on me. I need to stop trying to be the girl I was before the accident and start living with who I am now."
Eli Freeman began dating Burt six months ago, and although he lives in Cochrane, he makes his way to Lacombe every two weeks for a visit. Freeman struggles with mental health himself and the pair found they had more in common than just making each other laugh.
"There's so much joy in Amanda and there's so much happiness and there's so much to look at and be like 'wow.' As my mom has told me, my eyes light up like a lighthouse when I look at her," said Freeman.
Burt seems to leave a pretty impressive track record behind in those she meets. When Eli's mother, Kerry Freeman, first met Burt she was a little nervous like any mother would be meeting their son's girlfriend but she was quick to find that Amanda was truly something else.
"Her smile just showed you her heart and soul, she has such a wonderful warm smile and then to hear her talk, her positivity about every day, her maturity and her sense of can-do, she never seems to doubt herself, it's incredible," said Kerry.
For a young lady who has gone through so many difficult challenges in life, she remains optimistic and continues to push herself. Burt is studying Early Learning and Childcare at Red Deer College.
Now, almost four years since her accident, Burt is looking at getting a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) service dog. She has become afraid of people because she has no way to defend herself.
"I would like (the dog) to have that comfort that I am not alone, that there's someone there," says Burt.
Not only will the TBI service dog allow Burt to feel more confident around others, but it will also help with functional physical abilities, cognitive abilities and mental health and emotional well-being.
Recent research has shown that the presence of a service animal in a survivor's life has nothing but positive outcomes. It reduces stress response and negative stimuli response, reduces heart stress and heart rate variability, reduces the perception of pain, anxiety and depression, promotes sleep and promotes positive effects on social behaviour like trust, bonding and empathy.
Although you can find service dogs in Canada, there are none that help with Traumatic Brain Injuries. These can only be found in the U.S. and don't come with a small price tag. The only company Burt has found for a TBI service dog is in Texas and will cost her $20,000.
Burt created a Go Fund Me page in December of last year. She has since raised close to $3,200. She also has $8,000 of her personal savings that she will be putting towards the TBI service dog.
A quote by Roger Caras hits the nail on the head perfectly, "Dogs are not our whole life, but they will make our lives whole."
If you are interested in helping this inspiring young lady please visit https://ca.gofundme.com/help-amanda-secure-a-service-dog.
