An 18-year-old cheerleader nearly lost her life and spent time in a coma following a head-on collision with an ambulance earlier this year. Months later, Maci McCabe was crowned prom queen and recently performed at her university’s first home football game.
“Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable,” McCabe told NBC affiliate KSDK while wearing her black-and-gold Lindenwood University uniform on Saturday, Sept. 20. “I didn’t think this day was gonna come, nor did I think I’d be back cheering the game.”
On Tuesday, Feb. 11, just after 10 p.m. local time, Illinois authorities received reports of a head-on collision between a vehicle and an ambulance near Central High School in Breese, according to the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle, driven by McCabe, veered into the path of the ambulance, which had just completed a transport.
The ambulance’s driver and passenger were treated for minor injuries and released the following morning, but McCabe remained in critical condition. Police reported that the teen had sustained “severe injuries” and needed to be extricated from her vehicle. She was later airlifted to a hospital in St. Louis.
Officials initially said they were unsure why McCabe drifted out of her lane but noted that drugs, alcohol, or cellphone use did not appear to be factors.
Months later, speaking with KSDK, McCabe admitted she still could not remember the incident, though her family suspected a blown tire may have caused it.
“I don’t remember most of that day anymore. It’s very fuzzy,” McCabe told the outlet. “I know I went with my friends to watch my boyfriend play basketball, but I don’t remember anything else after that game.”
The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and McCabe did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
When McCabe first arrived at the hospital, she was in critical condition.
“She sustained many injuries such as 10 broken ribs on the left side and many broken ribs on the other side,” her aunt Deanne Ruffino wrote on a GoFundMe page supporting her recovery. She also suffered lacerations in her colon and liver that required surgery, and two collapsed lungs that required ventilation.
“It was truly a miracle the amount of injuries her tiny body was hit with and she is still with us!” Ruffino added.
Despite the severity of her injuries, McCabe returned to Mater Dei Catholic High School to finish her senior year in April. She recovered with two goals in mind: attending senior prom and walking across the graduation stage. She achieved both — even earning the title of prom queen.
The path to recovery wasn’t always smooth. Two months before returning to cheer, she suffered a practice injury that required surgery, and in August, she spent a week hospitalized with pneumonia, KSDK reported. She was also involved in another car accident two days after the football game, though she was unharmed, according to the outlet.
“There’s no giving up,” McCabe told KSDK. “You have to keep pushing.”
