Biography:
On May 10, 1993, Julie Papievis suffered a severe brain stem injury and was left paralyzed and in a coma where she was transported to the gates of heaven. There she talked with her grandmothers who instructed her to go back and be happy, an incredibly difficult task for a disabled person in an able-bodied world. Through extensive physical training, she re-learned how to stand, walk, and swallow -- and in just five years competed in and finished a 5K race near Chicago. Julie's story of determination and faith gives inspiration and hope to those who have lost loved ones or who are struggling with sudden, disabling changes in life.