Kelly Craig and her brother, Jason, a few months before the accident.
Months after the accident, Kelly and Jason were together in therapy to try and regain lost motor skills.
A former college cheerleader, Kelly helped coach girls during cheerleading tryouts at Jasper Middle School.
With help from family and therapists, Kelly went through walking motions on a treadmill. "I love to standup." She said. "For one part of my day, I can meet people at eye-level."
"They treat me like the wheelchair is not even a factor," Kelly said of her best friends, Jaleigh Burger and Annamarie Miller.
Kelly prayed the rosary during a retreat with family and friends. She said she has been especially focused on her faith since the accident.
Jason returned to Jasper on Oct. 25, still in a coma, and was greeted by cousins and stepbrothers who tried to wake him.
Jason began to wake from his coma shortly after his return home. Here, his mother, Brenda Krempp, encourages him to hold his head up on his own.
Jason made strides in therapy every week. ÒYou can see the fight in his eyes,Ó Brenda said.
Family members said Jason came out of his coma more affectionate, often reaching for hugs with family and friends, like stepbrother, Teddy Krempp, 6.
Jason created a buzz with a swarm of friends at a Jasper baseball game. Jared Himsel, left, Job Zoglman, Justi Schwenk and Eric Wigand were at his side.
Kelly, known as a prankster in high school, instigated this exchange of the raspberries. The accident has not diminished their senses of humor.
Although Kelly had to use her left hand, she took time to write thank-you notes to everyone who supported the family following the accident.
Jason Craig, right, gets strapped into place on a bus for special needs students before the start of school. Prior to his accident, the popular football player used to make fun of special needs students. "Now I know what they go through," he said.
Between classes, Jason always asked to be wheeled to the hallway so he could wave to people he knew.
On most days, Jason finished both classwork and homework before the final bell.
When people have a difficult time understanding his speech, Jason uses a letter board to spell out his thoughts.
One hour of each day was spent doing some sort of physical therapy. Here, Matt rees, left, oversees jason walking around the Jasper High School gym.
At the end of most days, Jason doses off while waiting for the last bell.
Jason had a full dance card at the senior dance. During a slow dance, he thanked Emily Schroeder with a kiss on the cheek.
Jason's mom, Brenda Krempp, adjusted Jason's mortar board before the graduation ceremony.
Jason communicated his happiness after receiving his diploma with a thumbs-up for family and friends.
Four years after graduation, Jason still lives with lingering effects of the brain injury. He often spends long hours watching television
In a single year that marked the fifth anniversary of the accident, Kelly graduated college, started a teaching career, gave numerous motivational speeches and won the title of Ms. Wheelchair Indiana. Still, she wrestled with accepting life as a quadriplegic. She does not want to be defined by the wheelchair. Yet the pageant and her work as a speaker put her on the path to becoming a spokeswoman, advocate and symbol. Kelly could devote several hours a day to therapy, trying to keep her muscles limber in hopes modern medicine will one day help her walk. But the time in therapy takes away from living a productive life, she says. "I don't ever want to accept this, I don't want to get comfortable this way. But I can't wait for my body to correspond with my attitude. I had to finish school, I have to get a job . . . I've got to live a life with purpose. "This is what I struggle with."
Kelly uses a mouth stick to type speeches, check email and play computer games. She works more quickly with the stick than with her computer's voice recognition software.
Kelly will always need assistance with the once simple tasks, like bathing, dressing and preparing meals. For the pageant, Kelly had many hands helping her with outfit changes.
Competing in both the state and national wheelchair pageants gave Kelly an opportunity to meet other women in wheelchairs. Here, Craig and Ms. Wheelchair Iowa, Ami Dark, unwind after the national pageant.
While contestants milled with family and friends, Teddy Krempp sat with her stepsister and put a rose in her hair. More than a dozen friends made the trip to Virginia to see Kelly in the pageant.
Kelly champed gum and blew bubbles while waiting backstage with fellow University of Southern Indiana graduates for the beginning of their commencement ceremony.
When Kelly taught a health lesson, her third-graders often had questions about her abilities. When she told them she could wiggle her toes, students, including Clayton Greener, Molly Disinger and Allison Welp, dove near her feet for a look.
At Precious Blood School, student teacher Kelly often drew a crowd at recess who pleaded for wheelchair rides. Elizabeth Theil was the lucky rider on this day.
Kelly cried on her last day of class when her students threw her a surprise party. "This was the first time since the accident I felt needed," she said of her teaching experience.
Kelly has given more than 200 speeches since the 1999 accident. During her speeches, she gives a slide show that includes a photo of the crash. "I know this is why God put me in the chair," she said. "This is a blessing."