Emily Traveller was just 16 when a single choice altered the course of her life.
She was a typical teenager, cheering at football games and hanging out with her friends during her sophomore year of high school.
However, shortly before prom, a spontaneous decision with a friend set in motion events that would make her learn to “live all over again.”
Highlights
- Emily Traveller, from Utah, suffered an accident in high school that left her paralyzed.
- At 16, Emily went on what she described as a “fun adventure” to the sand dunes with her peers.
- She now uses her social media platforms, where she has over 800,000 followers, to inspire others with her story.
An adventure before prom left Emily Traveller with a devastating spinal cord injury that forced her to rebuild her life
Image credits: Emily Traveller
“It just seemed like a fun adventure,” she told People magazine, recalling their idea of going on a double date to the sand dunes.
Emily informed her parents of her plans and packed a UTV (Utility Terrain Vehicle), known locally as a Razor, with snacks for the two-hour drive.
When they arrived at the dunes, the group enjoyed a picnic by the fire. But as they prepared to head home, Emily placed a few items on her lap and, since her car was parked nearby, chose not to wear her seatbelt.
Image credits: Emily Traveller
During the drive, the Razor hit a hill and rolled four times. The Utah native struck her head on the roll cage, breaking her neck. Her friends sustained less severe injuries: one broke her collarbone, while another split his head open.
Emily regained consciousness after the accident and realized she couldn’t move her body or “feel anything.”
She was airlifted to Utah Valley Hospital, where doctors informed her that she had also damaged her spinal cord and needed emergency surgery.
Emily spent ten days in the hospital learning to breathe, eat, and cough again
The teenager, who had spent her youth performing pirouettes and showing off her flexibility as part of the cheer team, now faced the challenge of learning to move again.
“Suddenly, there were a million nurses and doctors around me, and I couldn’t even breathe on my own. I couldn’t really grasp what life in a wheelchair would mean,” she told People.
“That was the beginning of learning to live all over again.”
Image credits: Emily Traveller
Soon after the accident, the idea of building a new relationship with her body was something she resisted.
“I thought my life was over. I remember telling my mom I didn’t want to live if I was paralyzed. One day I was a healthy teenager — the next, I couldn’t even breathe on my own.”
“I thought my life was over. I remember telling my mom I didn’t want to live if I was paralyzed. One day I was a healthy teenager — the next, I couldn’t even breathe on my own.”
Image credits: Emily Traveller
Emily spent ten days in the hospital, where she relearned how to breathe, eat, and cough before being transferred to Craig Hospital in Colorado, one of the leading spinal rehab centers in the United States.
She remained there for four months, regaining strength through physical therapy, relearning how to swallow, and adapting to life in a wheelchair.
Doctors informed her she needed emergency surgery and that she would be left paralyzed
Throughout the difficult time, Emily drew emotional strength from her friends and family, the biggest cheerleaders in her life.
“People were always visiting, sending letters, cheering me on. Even in the ICU, those small moments — relearning a movement, feeling progress, knowing people were behind me — kept me going.”
She also felt encouraged by the progress she slowly began to make in the hospital, like regaining some mobility in her arm and drinking from a straw.
Image credits: Emily Traveller
“I realized I had to stay in my own lane. Everyone’s injury is different. If I regained function, great. If not, I would still find a way to live fully.”
Additionally, the young woman found it helpful to focus on what she still had rather than on what she had lost.
Emily, now 20, said her focus on gratitude and her family’s support helped her overcome the traumatizing accident
Image credits: Emily Traveller
“There were mornings I didn’t want to get out of bed. But then I reminded myself: I have a wheelchair. I’m alive. I chose gratitude, and that choice kept me moving forward.”
Now, at 20 years old, Emily has graduated from high school and worked as an intern with an adaptive fashion designer in New York.
She travels to speak about her health journey at schools and events, visits children in hospitals, and is writing a book with her mom.
Image credits: Emily Traveller
After her discharge from the hospital, Emily struggled with people staring at her in her wheelchair, so her father got in another wheelchair and rolled alongside to support her.
Every day is different, she said, but her routine typically begins with therapy, followed by speech practice, workouts, and time with friends.
She has also built a large community on social media, inspired by Makayla Noble, a former world champion cheerleader who became a quadriplegic following a backyard cheer accident.
Between TikTok and Instagram, Emily has amassed more than 800,000 followers.
She has built a large community on social media and gives talks about her health journey at schools
Image credits: Emily Traveller
In the comments, she often reads stories from people who have experienced similar life-changing accidents, many of whom say they feel encouraged by her attitude and focus on gratitude.
“I show the good days and the hard ones. It’s amazing to hear that my story can make even a small difference. It makes me want to keep doing this forever, because of the impact it can have on the people who need it most."
Since the accident, she has graduated from high school and interned with an adaptive fashion designer
Image credits: Emily Traveller
Though Emily admits it’s still “hard” to talk about her accident, sharing her story, whether on social media or at schools, gives her purpose.
“I lived through this and found a way to move forward. I didn’t get the outcome I wanted — I wanted to go back to cheer and be my old self — but I’ve learned how to live in this new way,” she said.
Image credits: Emily Traveller
“I try to live by one principle: your circumstances don’t determine your happiness. Being in a wheelchair doesn’t mean I can’t be happy. Sharing my story might be the thing I’m proudest of.”
Many people were inspired by Emily’s journey and thanked her for candidly sharing her story
