Students talked with Sarah Panzau Evans following her presentation. From left: senior Sierra Pryor, senior Mykayla Rhea, senior Norman Grimes, Sarah Panzau Evans, senior Justin Johnson, junior Cobe Veach and junior Leilani Barton.
Sarah’s Journey
Speaker encourages students to make wise decisions, practice kindness
A single image of 19-year-old girl laughing with a bottle of alcohol in her hand. The photo was then obscured by a bloody, horrific image flashing across the screen repeatedly, silencing the entire auditorium. This stillness was interrupted by a single voice that turned every head to a woman in a black tank top and shorts. The woman turned to face the audience, her left arm missing and body scarred. Audible gasps traveled throughout the auditorium.
Students gathered in the auditorium Feb. 2 to hear the journey of Sarah Panzau Evans. Sarah survived a near fatal single-car accident, during which she was propelled halfway through the car window, separating her left arm from her body as her torso hit the guardrail repeatedly for 40 feet. Sarah decided Sept. 23, 2003, to drive while intoxicated without wearing a seat belt. She was given a zero percent chance of survival by her trauma surgeon, undergoing nearly 40 surgeries since. Through the accident, Sarah has gained a purpose of helping people make important life decisions. Sarah travels across the country, sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, speaking to schools about the consequences that come with driving while intoxicated.
“I know underage drinking is out there and is in every high school,” Sarah said. “I know as one person I can’t fight it alone, but I thought if I could get my story out there for students, they will see firsthand what happens to people who choose to do what I did. Most of the time you hear from victims of drunk drivers, but here you get to hear firsthand from the actual drunk driver.”
Because she said she can relate better to high school students through the experience of being judged for the way she looks, Sarah incorporates bullying into her presentation.
“It doesn’t matter what city or state I am in, every day I deal with comments,” Sarah said. “I deal with stares, I deal with whispers and I deal with a lot of what kids go through in high school with bullying and the judgment of other people. I can’t even imagine what some high school students have to go through.”
Sarah said she did not realize how much of an impact the addition would have on students.
“I have made them laugh. I have brought tears to some of their eyes,” Sarah said. “If they’re so quick to judge and make fun of other kids, that can leave a lasting impact on people. I want to express to them how to leave a good, lasting impact and not be so hard on other people.”
Sarah played varsity volleyball three years for Belleville West High School in Illinois. She then went on to play on a full-ride scholarship at Southwestern Illinois College, was named “Freshman of the Year,” as well as a two-time All-American Volleyball Player. Lacking 13 credits to complete her degree at junior college, she dropped out and became a bartender at 19 years old. Sarah said she lived like she would never die.
“It was never supposed to happen to a girl like me,” Sarah said. “I was never supposed to be in a crash, and then end up looking like this for the rest of my life. This kind of stuff isn’t supposed to happen to young people like us, is it? We never think bad things can happen to us.”
At the hospital, Sarah’s trauma surgeon told her mother she better start snapping photos of her in the beginning because these would most likely be the last pictures she would have of her daughter alive.
“My mother started snapping pictures for a different reason,” Sarah said. “She knew I was a fighter. She knew that one day I would want something to look back on, to see how far I have come from the initial crash.”
While recovering from the accident, Sarah’s mouth was wired shut for seven weeks, and she was unable to speak. Sarah said her mother, an Army major at the time, came to her hospital room with a notepad, a marker and a question that needed to be answered.
“My mom came after this happened and said, ‘I need to know something Sarah, and I know you can’t speak, so here I want you to write it down,’” Sarah said. “She gave me a big notepad and put a black Sharpie marker in my hand. She says, ‘I need to know why you didn’t call me.’ My mom began screaming ‘why didn’t you call?’ I remember looking up at her and writing down the first thing that came to my mind. In capital letters I wrote,‘T-R-O-U-B-L-E-!’”
Sarah said her mom took the notepad, put it on the side of her bed and then began sobbing, repeating, “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry Sarah.”
“I did not understand why she was apologizing,” Sarah said. “So I wrote a big question mark on my notepad, and she said ‘You should have known, as your mother, I would’ve been there for you if you ever needed me, but instead you feared me.’”
Sarah said her mother remained at her bedside during recovery, leaving a lasting impression on her.
“The people who I thought were my friends never came to see me once in the hospital after the accident,” Sarah said. “My best friend in the entire world, my mother, never left.”
Two years after the accident, Sarah was signed to the U.S. Paralympic Volleyball Team. She competed with them, but was unable to advance to the Paralympics due to a shoulder injury. Her doctor recommended she give up the sport to prevent further injury. She keeps her jersey as a reminder of all she has accomplished and to inspire others to reach for their own dreams. Sarah said she has learned the importance of life decisions and her family.
“I will never forget the day I was leaving the hospital in a wheelchair,” Sarah said. “My mom grabbed my face and said, ‘Sarah, now is the time to put your game face on.’ Every single one of us are dysfunctional. You never know what another person’s story is. We all have our own issues, so watch how you treat people. Give your parents a call, because they would be there for you in a heartbeat.”
Hello! My name is Codi Bradstreet, and I am the Editor-in-Chief of The Eagle’s Tale. I am a senior, so this is my last year on staff. I am on the basketball team, I am the senior class publicist, and I am involved in two leadership programs outside...
I'm the adviser of the Canyon High newspaper and yearbook staffs, and I love starting my day with this talented staff. We hope you'll join us daily for new content. I'm a graduate of Texas A&M University where I studied Secondary Curriculum and Instruction...
