Stephanie Nielson

On Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend a forum by Stephanie Nielson on the campus of BYU-Idaho. In 2008, Stephanie, her husband, and their friend who was also the pilot, was involved in a tragic plane accident. More than 80% of Stephanie's body was severely burned. Her husband had broken his back and also suffered burns. Sadly their friend passed away. After many months in a medically induced coma and multiple surgeries, she was able to continue on with life, although in a new form. Her message of her accident, healing process, and finding the strength to move on, touched my heart. She told of her experience, and about the long arduous journey of healing, both physically and emotionally. I was touched by her story of the first time that she looked in the mirror. She asked to be alone and worked up the courage to lift it up and see her new face. I cannot imagine the way she must of felt. She feared that she was no longer beautiful. She feared her children would be afraid of her. She feared she would only be seen as a monster. I must say that as she testified of the healing power of prayer and her faith in God, I did not see a face that looked scary, but a face of pure beauty. She inspired me to be grateful for my trials and find hope in what lies ahead. For those that have not heard of her or would like to read her blog, I would highly recommend reading her story. NieNie Blog or Stephanie Nielson's Message