Flipped But Not Broken: Paige’s Journey to Independence

When Paige Welborn was 30, her life changed in an instant. A devastating car accident flipped her vehicle five times, with her two young sons and then-husband inside, leaving Paige a quadriplegic. But even in the face of unimaginable adversity, Paige refused to let her circumstances define her future. In the months following the accident, Paige moved into her mother’s home, where family members took turns caring for her. The emotional toll was heavy.

“I felt like an awful burden to my family and like I could no longer do my job. I had that fear of, ‘What if it’s always like this?’” said Paige.

Determined to reclaim her independence, Paige leaned on the support of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) to assist her in re-entering the workforce. By the age of 41, she had transformed her life: she became a single mother of two and a passionate 4th-grade teacher.

Her turning point came when she got divorced from her then-husband and needed to find a job to support her boys. Paige decided to apply for Vocational Rehabilitation, where she connected with VR counselor Jacquie Thornton. Jacquie helped Paige explore career options, and she began working with Elevate Career Services. With their assistance, Paige updated her resume, searched for jobs, and applied to a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program.

“Jacquie also got me in with DriveAbility, the company that taught me how to drive with hand controls and discussed the options for different vehicles and accommodations with me to find out what would work best for my disability and my lifestyle,” said Paige.

VR also supported her certification courses, assisted with vehicle modifications, and provided career services, removing barriers that might have otherwise held her back.

Today, Paige is still working toward her formal teaching certificate and finds joy in cross-stitching during her free time. Her journey is a testament to resilience, and she shares her hard-earned wisdom with others facing similar challenges:

“Don’t believe the lie that you cannot still be in charge of your own life. Accept help when you need it, but don’t stop trying to learn to be independent and advocate for the things you need. Try to keep a good sense of humor, and normalize disability in our world,” said Paige.

If you or someone you know has a disability and is seeking employment assistance, explore the Vocational Rehabilitation program.