Chaux Martínez Gabriella, The Accident That Changed My Life

THE ACCIDENT THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

Written By Gabriella Chaux Martínez

The rush was pumping in my veins. For the first time, I felt scared. I felt the whole thing, the horseshoe rushing my face, the whole weight in my body. I was nervous, edgy, agitated, aghast. I felt the sun rays penetrating my skin, it was a sunny day. Just like the day of my most important competitions. Moments that I wished I had lived longer to cherish.

It was a Saturday, nine in the morning, March 10, 2018, in Wellington, Florida. I was sitting on top of my horse, Liverpool, one of the most astonishing horses in the entire world, he’s been with me since I first started riding. He is a tall horse, as white as the snow, he looks intimidating as he has a strong appearance, with some huge muscles on his legs, which is one of the things I love the most about him, Although he looks powerful and well-built, he is one of the most amorous horses. The connection I feel with him is unimaginable, we are like one. And giving the fact that I am a small girl, just 15 years old, with a thin complexion, which gives the impression of a soft and kind little girl, My parents used to say that, I have auburn hair and some huge green eyes. I love eyes, My dad used to say that they are the windows of a person’s soul. On the other hand, some people might think that I can’t deal with Liverpool, as I am small and he is such a big boy.

I was just waiting to be the next at the riding track. My mom was standing right next to me and she lightly touched my thigh, and she smiled at me. I knew what that smile meant, she always did it before one of my competitions, it meant “you can do it”. She is the one person I love the most in the whole world. She has a heart-shaped face with some beautiful freckles around her nose, and some green big almond-shaped eyes that have a compassionate expression, and a big toothy smile. She has thin dyed chestnut brown hair, that always looks with a messy bun, giving the impression of a relaxed look. She is always standing still with her thin body, wearing those skinny

jeans, with those black boots and the sunglasses she always wears to appear intimidating but in reality, she is nice.

The time came for me and Liverpool to be next to the competition. I was nervous before a show jumping competition, but in the end, we did an amazing show, no faults and at the right time. After I finished organizing Liverpool in the stable again, I bumped into an old man, he had a wrinkled face with some blue eyes that look just like the sky, he had a bald head; he looks really old but nice as he was small and chubby that he wore with that leather shirt. He looks stylish and polish.

“Valerie Stone,” he said enthusiastically “yes?” I responded

“Sorry, we haven’t met yet, my name is Clinton, I’m a sponsor of the top Florida showjumpers, and I’m here because I want to invite you to a showjumping tour competition in Europe for two months”

I didn’t know what to say, I was so excited, this is my only life opportunity to have my horse jumping career that I’ve always dreamt about. I just had to go and tell mom about it. Right after I told her, she got more excited than I was. She always supported me with every decision I had to make and this wasn’t the exception. Little did I know this invitation was going to change my life.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Clinton, for giving my daughter this amazing opportunity, it is the best news we could ever imagine,” mom said.

“The pleasure is mine, Ms. Stone, your daughter is an amazing amazon and I know for sure she is going to do just great. Oh, sorry I forgot to tell you. The competition starts in two weeks, so we have to get there as soon as possible” He responded.

I was shocked, I had less than two weeks to practice to get there, I had to do my best. And so I decided to practice a lot.

And one day I was practicing in the arena and I had to do a really hard jump, it was high, more than what I and Liverpool are used to. We started going towards it a lot faster, and when it was the time to jump Liverpool inclined but he tripped. I have to mention that I usually fall a lot, it is part of the whole jumping deal, and every time I fall it happens in just a blink, as nothing had ever happened. But this one was different, I felt the whole adrenaline, step by step, the whole thing was like a nightmare that didn’t end. I felt like the fall was infinite and I was never going to stop falling and touching the floor. I remembered when I was a kid and my mom always told me that I couldn’t be afraid to fall. And I hold on to that, but the floor never came, I couldn’t feel it, the only thing I felt was the wind in my body and that nervousness in my heart. Finally, the knock came, the ground was hard as a rock, well it is supposed to, as it is meant for the horses to jump there and not join, but after I knocked the floor I couldn’t feel anything else. My body was like a rock, I could feel my heart beating fast, just like if it was going to explode.

The next thing I remember was me waking up in a hospital room. My mom was there, sitting next to me, she looked worried. I looked at her and tried to speak but no words were coming out of my mouth. I tried to move to one side so I could touch her and let her know I was awake, but my left hand wouldn’t respond, I couldn’t reach her. I felt powerless like everything was going wrong and there was no way I could fix it and go to Europe. My mom then saw my eyes open and she came to me, I couldn’t say a word, I looked at her and started crying. She immediately called a nurse and a doctor. The doctor said I wouldn’t be able to speak again and that the left part of my body was not responding correctly. I didn’t know what to do, but my mom looked so calm, she always does, even in bad circumstances. This is something I admire a lot

about her, the fact that she can get the best out of every bad situation and always thinking positive. I couldn’t. The only thing I was thinking about was my trip to Europe and the fact that I couldn’t speak or move ever again.

Questions where popping out my mind like a storm.

“Where is this going to leave my career as a showjumper, and what was I supposed to do now, and how was I going to get out of this mess.?” Every question possible was coming out of me, questions with no answer. I couldn’t speak to anyone about it, not even my mom. I knew from that moment that I was on my own now, it was me against my thoughts, and I didn’t know if I was able to control it, or if one day I was just going to explode and get crazy.

Some weeks have passed and I wasn’t getting any better. I felt worse every day that passed. On the contrary to my mom, who is always trying to cheer me up and trying to get me in the best mood, making me laugh to forget about everything. It worked sometimes but still, my thoughts were killing me. My mom said I should start physical therapy so that my left part of the body wouldn’t get any worse, she said someday I would be able to walk again, she was so sure about it, but I wasn’t. I knew at that moment that my life had come to an end, I was certain I wouldn’t be able to walk ever again or even speak. But she always reminded me of how good I was in everything I did, and she constantly looked at me with the same face she did before I get into the track, meaning —you can do it—, she believed in me.

I got out of the hospital and finally got home. It was weird being there, it felt so different. But my mom did everything to make me feel at home. She even made my favorite meal, pasta with butter. And I started my therapy. I was going there every day of the week, Monday to Saturday because Sundays

were not opened. My mom went with me, and she always gave brownies to the people who worked there. She did take the best out of it. I, on the contrary, hated that place. Every Time I got in I felt that weird sensation, like when you don’t like something. But my mom reminded me of what they were doing for me and that I should be grateful.

One day when I was home, I decided I wanted to go to the stables to see Liverpool. Mom came in with me. And when I tried to get closer, trying to touch him, he immediately went back, as if he didn’t recognize me or as if he didn’t want to see me after the accident. I got afraid of him. For the first time, he was acting different around me. He has always been the most adorable horse ever. Every time I went to see him, he just neighed at me and looked so excited to see me. But now is different. Maybe he feels my fears, he feels I’m afraid, and he gets afraid as well. But I’m just not ready yet, I don’t feel ready. And I’m afraid I’m never going to be. After what happened maybe I just have to forget about Liverpool and riding ever again and just move on with my paralytic and dumb life. After all, that is what I am, and that is how everyone around; sees me. Lonely, weird. I hate those people, the ones that judge you without knowing you, the fakes ones. I got to live with them for quite a long time. The type who greets you as if they’ve known you since forever, and they look so happy when they are around you, but when they turn around they just criticize you, judge you. Well, I just think that one day something is going to happen to them that they’ll have to learn from life, just like I have to.

As time passed, I started to become closer to the people, I couldn’t talk to anyone but I decided to learn sign language, it isn’t that hard. I started to become more conscious and aware of my situation, and every time I got a negative thought I immediately take it out and replace it with a good one. This is the

best option I could have ever chosen, starting to think positive, just like my mom does, really helped me out, to get off a bad situation. And that way I got to overcome my difficulties. I started to become someone new, someone, who doesn’t give up even if everything is drowned apart. And that is how I got out of it, by reminding myself every single day, “you can do it”, “you are strong enough”, by seeing myself riding again because I did, I imagine myself jumping once again, being with Liverpool, having that great and amazing opportunity.

One day I woke up, it was early in the morning, the sun hadn’t risen yet, it was cold as if I was in the north pole, and that is strange, as in Florida the weather is not that cold, even in winter. And I got out of my bed, sat down in the wheelchair, which is not something I was used to doing by myself; mom always helps me out but I decided I can’t go on living just waiting for mom to do everything for me, if I want to get out of this I have to start by doing things by myself. And so, I got to the stables to see Liverpool. I never went by myself out there, mom said it was dangerous, but I didn’t mind at all. When I arrived there he looked at me for the first time with different eyes. He gave me that look of compassion and love he always did before the accident. And right at that moment, I felt safe again like everything was right again, and I feared nothing. I was being myself and I was getting to be the person I always dreamed about after being in the accident. I took Liverpool for a ride, no saddle, no reins, it was just him and me again, like one, as we always were. And at that moment we were back, the only team. And at that moment, when I was on top of him, riding, feeling the strongness of his movements galloping, feeling the air rushing my face, sweeping me off my feet, and instantly it felt familiar like the moment of the accident. I feared a little, but then I felt it, that feeling of happiness in my chest, of excitement. I was happy, for the first time in a while.

I knew I could do anything if I just devote myself to it and determine as nothing else matter. I knew at that moment that I had to let everyone know about this, that I had to teach others how to get out of bad situations as I did, that they can’t just give up their dreams, that no matter what happens in your life you have to stay positive and sure that you are going to get out of it.

Some time passed and with the help of mom, I decided to open a horse riding school for handicapped people; where people from all around the world who suffered from an accident, just like I did would bring their horses and with my help and from other professionals will get over it, and make their dreams come true. Because that is the whole life purpose, no matter the bad situations, never give up, fight, you are strong enough, and you can do anything you want, you just have to love it that much. And I had to learn that, life gave me the amazing opportunity to learn from it, to make the best out of it. And something I will always hold dear to my heart, bad situations happen, not for you to suffer, but for you to learn from it.

THOSE WHO SHALL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN

Written By Mateo Cobo Madriñan