Safe Families Helps One Mom Recover from Devastating Injuries

In January 2011, Tabetha was the victim of a hit and run. She survived after four months in the hospital but lost both of her legs above the knee. That alone is overwhelming, but there's more: Tabby is raising a five-year-old and three-year-old twins alone.

Tabby made the difficult decision this summer to place her twins with Safe Families in Indianapolis for a few months. This will allow her to sort out some things at home and in her own life. Every day is difficult, but Tabby's priority is making sure that her girls thrive. When asked where her strength comes from, she instantly says, "My kids. I want them to know that, no matter what, I love them.

"Safe Families dispatched a group from a local church to help clean up around Tabby's house. Above all of the tangible, physical help that Safe Families volunteers are lending Tabby, they walk beside her emotionally. This support reaches into complicated places of need that require more than prescriptive fixes.

Tabby has many goals during these months of separation from her twins. She needs to make her home more wheelchair-accessible, and she needs help cleaning, but she also wants to feel at home in her own skin again and be at peace with the loss of her legs. More than anything, Tabby wants to be a good mother to her children.

Safe Families and her other supporters can't do these things, but they can clear Tabby's path of obstacles. Now, she is free to heal and move forward with the strength that is already inside of her.

This story was excerpted in part from a blog post by author Laura Stump. The post, along with other Safe Families stories, can be found at worldnextdoor.org.