Liberty student meets pilot, medical team who saved her life after car accident

ROANOKE, Va.- – A Liberty student gets a second chance at life and the opportunity to say thank you. For the first time since a violent car crash in April, Ruthie Rogers met the medical team that saved her life. 

Rogers' life changed six months ago. She and two friends rode to the Blue Ridge Parkway in Bedford County to watch the sunrise.

"We had a nice morning and we were driving back and we stopped at an apple orchard," said Ruthie. That was the last thing she remembers before she was involved in a serious car accident. 

"I think the car was going around 50 miles an hour and they T-boned us right where I was sitting in the backseat," said Rogers. Her two friends were not seriously hurt. 

She suffered multiple fractures and a head injury and was unresponsive when EMS arrived to the scene. She was flown to the hospital in Roanoke by Carilion's LifeGuard.

"To have a reunion with her and her family is really pretty cool," said Wade Dunford, pilot. 

Evie Calloway, a registered nurse, developed a special bond with Ruthie during her hospital stay. 

"She was real determined. Even though she had a traumatic brain injury you can tell she was a fighter and I knew she was going to get better," said Calloway.

"It's really cool to see everybody that took part in helping me get back to where I am right now," said Ruthie. 

Ruthie's parents and family live in Kingsport, Tennessee. They were also able to meet everyone involved in her recovery. 

"When I left this hospital I said I will come back to this town one day and thank these people. Because we didn't think we will be taking our daughter home to live a normal life," said Lisa Rogers. 

Ruthie went to a rehabilitation center in Atlanta where she had to relearn how to walk. 

"I love to run and stuff like that so now I have a new appreciation of stuff like that," said Ruthie. The 19-year-old is back at Liberty University studying biomedical sciences. After the reunion, pilots took Ruthie and her family up for a ride in the helicopter.