Name: Joshua Stephens

Age: 20

Personal: : I had pretty much a normal childhood; my mother and I lived with my parents until she remarried when I was 11. I went to a private Christian school until 9th grade, where I started going down the wrong path. I began to throw away my faith, and get into some things that were not good. I started pulling others down with me on my way down this path. I also spent the majority of my time looking for drugs or alcohol or pretty much any other way to get messed up. My priorities were completely backwards, but this way of living led to the event that changed my life.
The night of June 30, 2008 started out like any other night. My friend’s mom was out of town, so we decided to throw a party at his house. Too many empty beer cans and a handful of painkillers later, I decided that it was time to tell my parents that I was going to join the Marines. I was blackout drunk, and after fighting all of my friends who were telling me not to leave in the state I was in, I got into my car, with a .382 BAC, and headed home.
Half way home I wrecked my car. It flipped six times, and I was thrown out of the car. My car finally came to a halt mere inches way from my body. A man came out from the gas station that I wrecked in front of, and began to pray over me. A driver of a car coming the other way stopped and got out. The driver was an EMT. She watched over me, filled in the paramedics in on my condition when they got there, and I was loaded into the ambulance.
I arrived at the hospital, and was put into intensive care. The doctors told my family that I might not make it through the night, and if I did, it would be months until I was well enough to leave. My grandparents arrived at the hospital, and I had been placed on a respirator, eight different IV’s, was in a neck brace, and had a catheter in my skull just to name a few of my new parts. I was in a coma. I had damaged the part of my brain that controls impulses, sight, and motor skills. They didn’t know how bad these regions had been damaged, and said I might not be able to walk, see, or even control myself.
I walked out on the seventh day by myself. God showed himself, and I got back on the right path. I replaced all of my bad habits with exercise, and now I speak at schools and YDCs sharing my story.

Athletic experience/accomplishments: Played baseball for 7-8 years
Played Hockey in MS
Played HS football
Completed the 2009 Turtle crawl Tri

2009 Goals: Compete in three Triathlons
Place in my AG