Overwhelmed by wave after wave of emotional trauma, Kristen Anderson no longer wanted to live. One January night, determined to end her pain once and for all, the seventeen-year-old lay across train tracks not far from her home and waited to die.
Instead of peace, she found herself immersed in a whole new nightmare.
Before the engineer could bring the train to a stop, thirty-three freight cars passed over her at fifty-five miles per hour. After the train stopped and Kristen realized she was still alive, she looked around- and saw her legs ten feet away.
Surviving her suicide attempt but losing her legs launched Kristen into an even deeoer battle with depression and suicidal thoughts as well as unrelenting physical pain- all from the seat of a wheelchair.
But in the midst of her darkest days, Kristen discovered the way to real life and a purpose for living.
Life, In Spite of Me recounts in riveting detail the trauma of her suicide attempt, the miracle of her survival, and the life-tansforming power of hope in Christ.
Kristen should never have lived to tell her story. That much is evident from what the paramedic who was at the scene told her and what a train engineer explaining the physics of a train described.
But Kristen has done more than just live. She has fought, excelled, learned, inspired and reached out to others in similar situations- all with the help of God. I am reminded of one of my favorite sayings when I think of all Kristen has accomplished so far.
"You alone can do it, but you can't do it alone"
Kristen's story is an inspirational message of hope to those who suffer from depression and thoughts of suicide. There are people who love you and want to help. You don't have to travel the road alone. 3.5/5 stars
Suicide Warning Signs: (from Kristen's book)
- appearing depressed or sad most of the time
- having no hope for the future
- feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless, or trapped in a situation, and having excessive guilt or shame
- talking or writing about death or suicide
- withdrawing from family or friends
- acting recklessly or impulsively
- a change in personality, sleeping or eating habits
- decreased interest in most activities
- dramatic mood changes
- giving away prized possessions
- writing a will
- poor performance at work or in school
- strong anger or rage
- abuse of drugs or alcohol
- self-harm
- self hate
View the video of Kristen Jane Anderson on Life Today. Or, download the first chapter of her book here.
This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
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