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At 8:30pm on May 21, 2013,
Rachel Pentecost was leaving Baugh
Station Baptist Church after revival
during a normal spring rain. Her dad
was preaching like he always does
when he gets the chance. She did not
know that her life was about to be
changed forever by a tragic car
accident.



Rachel says she remembers
every detail of that fateful night when
she hydroplaned into a tree. I was
scared. I was ready to get out of the car,
but I knew I had to stay calm so I could
be removed said Rachel. Pinned in her
car, first responders from five different
fire stations worked more than three
hours to extract her from the vehicle
before transporting her to Owensboro
hospital, where she coded three times.
Doctors said only a miracle could save
her.


















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Rachels parents, Darren and
Kathy Pentecost, were allowed into the
ICU to spend what they feared would be
their last moments with their daughter.
Rachel says, I remember the doctors
saying that I wasnt going to make it. I
also remember being shocked twice, but
thats it. Once Rachel survived a few
hours; a transport to Vanderbilt via
LifeFlight arranged. She left the hospital
in serious but stable condition. There
was still little hope to save her right leg.





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Thirty-four days, a leg
amputation, seven surgeries, seven
kidney dialyses and 96 units of blood
later, the Pentecosts say Rachel would
not be here today if it were not for God,
for the doctors, nurses, and staff at
Vanderbilt, and for the motivation from
family and friends. Although she did
lose her left leg, doctors were able to
save the right one. This helped speed
Rachels recovery tremendously.
Though this whole experience, Rachel
says that she learned to be a better
person and that she is not promised a
tomorrow.
While Rachel was at
Vanderbilt, she made a very special
connection with the staff there. She
was presented with a plaque signed
by all of the nurses and doctors who
helped save her life. In honor of
Rachel, Vanderbilt named the bed
that she was in Rachel. They only
do this for those who were in trauma
care and overcame extrordinary
odds. Rachel will always remember
and be remembered by the staff at
Vanderbilt. The staff in the trauma
unit became like family to us, said
Rachels parents. The doctors and
nurses took remarkable care of
Rachel, and their thoughtfulness and
kindness made the journey so much
easier.



Rachel was attending
Madisonville Community College to
become a beautician at the time of
the accident. She has since
relearned how to walk and is making
even more progress through
extensive therapy. Rachel says she
has set a goal to one-day work in
health care field, possibly physical
therapy. I hope to go back to college
to become a trauma nurse or a
trauma counselor. More importantly,
I hope to show others that nothing is
impossible through Christ, said
Rachel. She said it would be
wonderful to help people going
through similar experiences to hers.


















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As of now, Rachel is helping
her mother Kathy with foster care.
They recently took in a little girl
around the same age as Abby. Abby
is the daughter of Rachels sister,
Rebecca who was born just two
weeks after the newest addition to
the family. Darren and Kathy say that
the child is a blessing and that they
hope to touch the lives of as many
children as possible.

























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