As Kennedy lay crumpled in her hospital bed following the accident, she realized that many of her wounds were invisible. “After the car accident, I suffered from low self—esteem and depression,” she said, “For years, I allowed someone I loved to physically, mentally and emotionally abuse me.”

She had previously tried taking a few DCCC classes, but said she was immature and not ready for academic challenge. She dropped out. After the accident, she returned to DCCC to take cosmetology classes. She left school a second time and began working as a certified nursing assistant. After yet another car accident, she felt unstable, hopeless, and didn’t know what to do.