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Scooter crash victim making slow, steady recovery

Natasha Sackett still can't walk as a result of the accident in October, but her mother says her strong will put her back on the soccer field in a year.

By KEVIN GRAHAM
Published November 29, 2006

TAMPA - When Natasha Sackett got a motorized scooter at the start of college this fall, she promised her mother she'd wear her helmet no matter what.

"I don't want to be an organ donor," she said.

Sackett kept her word.

A doctor at Tampa General Hospital said Tuesday it saved her life.

The hospital and Sackett's mother held a news conference to discuss the University of Tampa student's condition and prospects after suffering devastating injuries in a wreck.

For the past month, the 18-year-old freshman has been quietly recovering from head injuries, facial and leg fractures and a bleeding liver after a collision with a car on Kennedy Boulevard on Oct. 29th.

Police said Sackett was near campus when her Piaggio Fly 150 scooter collided with a car driven by 72-year-old Barbara Greene, of Tampa. Police spokesman Larry McKinnon said the case was still open, but detectives didn't anticipate filing any charges.

An increase in motorcycle and pedestrian deaths contributed to the rise of highway fatalities in the country last year, the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Safety Administration reported in August. Despite that increase, the number of drivers age 16 to 20 who were killed dropped 4.6 percent between 2004 and 2005, the administration said.

Sackett remained in intensive care and on a ventilator at TGH until a week ago. Dr. Rodney Durham, her attending physician, said Sackett will likely begin rehabilitation therapy next week.

"She was lucky she survived," he said.

Veronica Opladen, Sackett's mother, said she expected nothing less from her daughter.

"She has one of the strongest characters that I know," Opladen said Tuesday at TGH, fighting back tears as she spoke to reporters for the first time about her daughter.

"I know she has a great love for life, and I'm absolutely positive that it's her will and want for life that has gotten her through this."

Opladen praised the trauma team at TGH for the medical care they've given Sackett. Although they are American citizens, her family has lived in Genoa, Italy, for six years.

They lived in Tampa before moving overseas, and Opladen said Tampa is their preferred home when in the United States.

Being able to attend UT on a scholarship was special for Sackett, her mother said, because she loves Tampa and living near a beach.

Her classmates haven't been able to visit her in the hospital, but that hasn't stopped them from making a presence in Sackett's room.

Students in her class on creativity and the learning environment sent posters with their pictures and messages that Sackett's mom placed around her bed.

"I think she would be every parent's dream," said Jim Lennon, one of Sackett's UT professors. "I think people recognized that she had a great inner strength, because she had the capacity to get along with people and still speak her mind."

Lennon's class sent voice recorded messages to Sackett. The women's soccer team at UT planned to record their own message this week to send to their teammate, he said.

In Italy, Sackett played on an all-star soccer team that competed in regional games.

"Knowing my daughter, she will be back on the soccer field in a year," Opladen said.

First, she must overcome the challenges to a full recovery.

Sackett still can't speak. Doctors had to wire her jaw shut after the accident. She's able to respond to questions by squeezing her mother's hand.

"She is awake, her eyes are open, but she's still not quite with us yet," Opladen said.

Sackett's family set up an Internet blog to update family and friends on her condition. Her mother said it's had over 29,000 hits so far and received more than 600 messages worldwide.

Times researcher Cathy Wos contributed to this story. Kevin Graham can be reached at 813 226-3433 or kgraham@sptimes.com.

[Last modified November 29, 2006, 00:41:43]