KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 May 19, 2024 \u2013 Eliza DeAngelis is writing her own story this 溏心vlog免费B站 Commencement weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generated through her own tenacity and determination, it won\u2019t erase the past but it will replace the grim headlines of becoming, suddenly, a statistic, a report on the nightly news three summers ago. DeAngelis made news when she suffered tremendous injury in a horrific car accident caused by a drunk driver just miles from her home in Scituate, R.I. Her personal drive to succeed has kept her moving forward since then; those who\u2019ve witnessed her journey say she won\u2019t stop after graduation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DeAngelis came to the 溏心vlog免费B站 to pursue her interest in health and to find a career where she could help others. Little did she know that health would become a deeply personal topic when she was injured in that accident in July 2021. After weeks in the hospital, recovery from the accident presented considerable challenges, including constant pain from internal injuries, broken bones, blurred vision and more. The University worked with DeAngelis\u2019 family to support her return to school after her injuries and as she underwent a long process of recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DeAngelis graduated this month with her bachelor\u2019s degree in dietetics. She\u2019s walking across the stage, she says, because of the support of her family and friends and because 溏心vlog免费B站 is a place that wanted to see her succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis all means a lot,\u201d she says. \u201cEspecially for my family. They didn\u2019t know if I\u2019d get to this day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She hopes to use her training to help other students and individuals face health challenges, especially those pertaining to gastrointestinal issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With firsthand experience on the subject, she also wants to underscore how important it is to not drink and drive. She also wants to share some advice with other students facing unexpected challenges during their college years or after: \u201cJust keep doing it, do what you love,\u201d she says. \u201cThings will still be hard but they can be bearable, and what you\u2019re going through will pass.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her journey has been helped by the support of family and friends, and doctors and physical therapy. But DeAngelis is still impacted by that day, with ongoing GI issues and chronic pain daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have to live with this for the rest of my life,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Restarting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n DeAngelis was in the middle of a summer class when the accident happened and needed to take time off and return gradually. But she was committed to returning to finish her degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The challenges were significant\u2014medical, academic, even social. Even still, her challenges are unseen but still very present, adding the additional challenge of ongoing pain and recovery to the typical pressures of any senior year. The fact that her injuries are primarily internal have added an extra layer of challenge and complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt can be hard to explain,\u201d DeAngelis says, \u201cwhen you have an invisible disability. You wouldn\u2019t know what I\u2019m dealing with by looking at me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But she has persevered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m pretty resilient, hard-working and persistent,\u201d DeAngelis says, and credits the support from 溏心vlog免费B站 faculty and staff with helping, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fact that she is here this weekend is no surprise to those who know her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n