A LOUISIANA NATIVE GOT HER DIPLOMA AND A PERSONAL CEREMONY AT TOURO TODAY. WELL, SHE MISSED HER ORIGINAL GRADUATION DUE TO A DEVASTATING CAR CRASH THE NIGHT BEFORE. WDSU REPORTER ELI BRAND SPOKE WITH HER AND SHARES HOW SHE WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME ADVERSITY. ELI YEAH, DARYL AND GINA. IT’S A MAJOR ADVERSITY THAT SHE IS STILL FACING. MACKENZIE MEYER LOST ALL FILLING IN HER LEGS AND WAS INTUBATED ALL THE NIGHT BEFORE SHE WAS SET TO GRADUATE WITH A NURSING DEGREE FROM LOUISIANA TECH. TODAY SHE GOT THAT GRADUATION AND INSPIRED EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE. I NOW DECLARE YOU TO BE ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE IN NURSING. ONE OF 1037 GRADUATES FROM THE 2023 CLASS AT LOUISIANA TECH, BUT A SPECIAL ONE, MACKENZIE MEYER FACED ADVERSITY MANY CAN’T DREAM OF, ON TOP OF THE DEVASTATING CAR CRASH SHE FACED AND BEAT A FORM OF BRAIN CANCER. AS A YOUNG CHILD. FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF MEYER SAY SHE GOT HERE THROUGH DETERMINATION AND A STRONG WILL, BUT FOR HER IT’S ALL JUST PART OF MOVING ALONG ON HER PERSONAL JOURNEY. IT HASN’T BEEN AN EASY ONE BY ANY MEANS, BUT I’VE MADE IT WORK, YOU KNOW, LIKE EACH DAY YOU JUST KEEP PUSHING AND PUSHING AND I GET STRONG AND STRONG. AND HERE I AM. AND HERE SHE IS AN INSPIRATION THAT HER DOCTORS SAY HEALED QUICKER THAN MOST AT ALL BECAUSE OF A WILL. THEY SAY IS SPECIAL. THIS IS WHAT WE DO IT FOR. IT’S FOR THESE VICTORIES IN PATIENTS LIKE HER THAT ARE SO INSPIRED AND INSPIRE US AND FILL OUR SOULS TO MAKES IT VERY GOOD FOR US AS WELL. AND HERE ARE PICTURES OF THAT HARD WORK FROM NO FILLING IN HER LEGS TO UP AND ABOUT WITH SOME HELP. MEYER SAYS SHE’S NOT DONE YET AND NOW WANTS TO WALK ON HER OWN AGAIN. THE NEXT PART OF HER UNBELIEVABLE JOURNEY. ONE SHE SAYS WILL COME SOON. EVENTUALLY. I JUST WANT TO GET BACK TO WHERE I HAD ORIGINALLY HAD ALL MY PLANS. I GET BACK TO WHERE I CAN BE A PICU NURSE AND BE ABLE TO LIVE OUT MY CAREER AND HOPEFULLY ONE DAY TRAVEL AND JUST DO ALL THE THINGS I WOULD HAVE DONE IF THIS ACCIDENT WOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED. THE GOAL NO ONE IN THIS ROOM. DOUBTS WILL HAPPEN. BUT UNTIL THEN, MEYER WILL ENJOY HER NEW DIPLOMA WITH A CAP TOSS AND A MOVE TO THE FUTURE. LOUISIANA SENATOR BILL CASSIDY ALSO ATTENDED THE CEREMONY TODAY AS THE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER. HE SAYS THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF HI
Woman inspires by graduating college after a devastating car crash
Updated: 2:51 AM EDT Jun 26, 2023
MacKenzie Maier graduated from Louisiana Tech University in a personal ceremony at Touro, a community-based healthcare hospital in New Orleans, on Friday afternoon. And she did it all just weeks after being in a devastating car crash that left her with spinal cord injuries and more.Maier's crash happened just one day before her original graduation ceremony was scheduled.“It hasn’t been an easy one, by any means, but I’ve made it work. You know, each day you keep pushing and pushing, and I get stronger and stronger, and here I am," Maier said of what her journey has been like.Maier's doctors said her determination and hard work are contributing to her recovery. She has even been able to get in some steps with some assistance. Her goal now is to be able to walk on her own and go on to do her dream job of being a pediatric intensive care unit nurse.“This is what we do it for; it’s for these victories and patients like her, that are so inspired and inspire us, fill our souls too. Makes it very good for us as well," said Susi Folse, Maier's physician.This isn't the first adversity Maier has faced in her life. She also faced and beat a form of brain cancer as a child. She says she isn't done yet either and looks forward to the future.“Eventually, I just want to get back to where I originally had on my plans. Get back to where I can be a PICU nurse and be able to live out my career and hopefully one day travel and just do all the things I would have done if this accident wouldn’t have happened," said Maier.Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy also attended the graduation as the commencement speaker. He says Maier shows the strength of the people of Louisiana.
MacKenzie Maier graduated from Louisiana Tech University in a personal ceremony at Touro, a community-based healthcare hospital in New Orleans, on Friday afternoon.
And she did it all just weeks after being in a devastating car crash that left her with spinal cord injuries and more.
Maier's crash happened just one day before her original graduation ceremony was scheduled.
“It hasn’t been an easy one, by any means, but I’ve made it work. You know, each day you keep pushing and pushing, and I get stronger and stronger, and here I am," Maier said of what her journey has been like.
Maier's doctors said her determination and hard work are contributing to her recovery. She has even been able to get in some steps with some assistance.
Her goal now is to be able to walk on her own and go on to do her dream job of being a pediatric intensive care unit nurse.
“This is what we do it for; it’s for these victories and patients like her, that are so inspired and inspire us, fill our souls too. Makes it very good for us as well," said Susi Folse, Maier's physician.
This isn't the first adversity Maier has faced in her life. She also faced and beat a form of brain cancer as a child. She says she isn't done yet either and looks forward to the future.
“Eventually, I just want to get back to where I originally had on my plans. Get back to where I can be a PICU nurse and be able to live out my career and hopefully one day travel and just do all the things I would have done if this accident wouldn’t have happened," said Maier.
Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy also attended the graduation as the commencement speaker. He says Maier shows the strength of the people of Louisiana.
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