Aimee Copeland, a graduate student at the University of Georgia, had a terrible accident on a day that was meant to be happy and fun.
Her friends and she planned a trip to a small lake in 2012 so they could zipline over the sea. They all thought this was a great idea as soon as they heard it.
Although Aimee was supposed to have fun, the rope broke, and she fell off a cliff. That day, she lost her leg, which was sad.
When Aimee got to the hospital, the doctors told her even worse news. The flesh-eating germs that Aimee got infected her wound and made it worse. She would either live or die in a few hours.
These germs are called Aeromonas hydrophila. This bacteria easily causes necrotizing fasciitis, which is also known as a “flesh-eating disease” and can be fatal.
Her life was saved by 11 surgeries, but she lost both hands and legs and had to have them cut off.
Even though she was very brave, this young woman didn’t let the tragedy stop her from living her life to the fullest. Aimee posted a picture of herself at the beach in a bikini, with a big smile on her face, four years after what happened.
The picture inspired a lot of people, and it was shared thousands of times on social media. Many people said that Aimee is a real inspiration.
There are many things she is proud of about herself, but the most important thing is how she looks now that she has been through so much.
I had to wait a long time to get used to and accept my new body. Nobody is perfect, and that’s what makes us beautiful. The marks and skin grafts make you more unique! That’s what matters, not what you have, she wrote in the description.
Today, Aimee fights for the rights of amputees and people with disabilities. She continues to inspire people through her public speeches and social media posts. Also, she is going to the University of West Georgia to get her Ph.D. in psychology.
Nothing, not even a terrible tragedy like the one she went through, can take away our hopes.