Sarah Lynch: From the Outfield to the ICU - Why Every Second Counts After a Hit to the Head

“Changing our inner attitude, we can eliminate much evil. Instead of trying to escape from painful events, if we face and accept them as challenges to overcome, we become the best we can be."

This quote resonated with me when I first heard it during my senior capstone class, but I didn’t realize just how relevant it would soon become in my life. On April 8, 2025, I was playing center field, just as I had done countless times before. After playing softball my entire life, I was now in my senior season at North Central College. It was a Tuesday, and we were playing a conference rival on our home field. I went through the motions of my game-day routine, just as I always did. I was looking forward to playing and then spending the rest of my night working on homework. Unfortunately, I never got any homework done that day.

The last thing I remember was lining out to the shortstop in what would be my last ever at bat, even though I didn’t know it at the time. I have no memory between then and waking up in the ICU, but I have since asked those around me what happened that day to piece together the story.

A deep fly ball was hit into left center field. As I ran and dove back to try and make the catch, I was accidentally kicked in the side of the head by my teammate. While it was a freak accident, it completely flipped my life upside down. I laid on the ground while the play was still going on. My mom remembers watching me and repeating, “She always gets up,” because I always did. I would always get up. But not this time. My athletic trainer arrived quickly and immediately knew something was wrong. My nose was bleeding, I was nauseous, and I was very slow to respond to her questions, and when I did respond, I had no idea what was going on. I didn’t remember why I was on the field, and I didn’t know who my teammate next to me was, who also happens to be one of my best friends. She knew we needed to call 911 and get me help immediately. I give her credit for saving my life that day, or at least saving my life as I know it. She knew exactly what to do and didn’t make a single mistake even though this was the most catastrophic situation she had been a part of in her career. I asked her how she stayed so calm, and she said she just reminded herself of a quote our head athletic trainer often uses. She says, “We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training” - Archilochus. She did exactly what she was trained to do and didn’t let any fear or emotions get in the way. I will forever be grateful she acted in the way she did.

The paramedics arrived and loaded me into the ambulance. I kept asking everyone what was going on and saying that I was scared. By the time I arrived at the emergency room, I was declining very quickly. I was very drowsy and didn’t know who my parents were, where I was, what had happened, what my last name was, or what simple objects were around the room. They took me for scans and discovered a depressed skull fracture and bleeding that was pressing on my brain, which was causing the decline in cognitive, speech, and motor function. The doctors concluded I had a high probability of imminent and possibly life-threatening deterioration due to central nervous system failure and significant trauma. The only option was to perform emergency surgery, so they ran me down the hallway to the operating room. They performed a craniotomy and removed the hematoma. The surgery went well, but they weren’t quite sure what my condition would be until I woke up. 

I remember waking up in the ICU in a neck brace, attached to IVs, and with nearly half my head shaved. My parents had to keep telling me what happened because I was having a hard time remembering. I spent about a week in the hospital recovering and getting stronger. From the moment I woke up, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I would be okay. I knew I had a long road ahead of me, but I chose to see this as a challenge that I had to overcome. The quote that I referenced above helped remind me to make a positive decision about what my attitude would be moving forward. I had two choices: I could let this eat away at me and feel bad for myself, or I could fight to get better and keep moving forward.

I had a wonderful medical team who never gave up on me. My surgeon, nurses, and therapists were there for me every step of the way and gave me so much confidence that I could recover. I was surrounded by my friends, family, and teammates every day. The support everyone gave me helped to keep my spirits high.

I am still working through recovery every day. I am extremely lucky to be on the 

path to a full recovery. When things get difficult, I try to remind myself just how far I have come in a relatively short time. I am looking forward to starting my master's program in the fall. I will be studying occupational therapy and can’t wait to help people in the future in the same way my therapists helped me. They kept me going during one of the darkest moments of my life. I will be forever grateful and will dedicate my career to helping others in the same way. 

While I did feel immense amounts of support from those around me after the injury, it was still quite a lonely experience. I didn’t know anyone who had ever gone through something like that. I scoured the internet trying to find a story like mine and didn’t find much. I am hoping that by sharing my story, I can help someone else who may be going through something similar feel less alone.

I also hope to raise awareness for sports-related traumatic brain injuries and the importance of seeking medical help as quickly as possible. I truly don’t think I would be here today, or be here making the recovery I am, if those around me didn’t get me the help I needed so quickly. My condition deteriorated very fast, and things could have ended much differently if I hadn’t been cared for in the way I was. It is vital to get medical attention for yourself or anyone around you who may have experienced a head injury, even if things don’t seem so bad at first. Waiting, even a few extra minutes, can be detrimental.

Life doesn’t always go as planned. Sometimes we are surprised by amazing things that bring joy to our lives. Other times, we are surprised by terrible things that drag us down. But even when going through the worst, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am extremely thankful to be where I am today. I am still working through the physical and mental recovery following my injury. It has been difficult to work through the fact that I didn’t get to end my softball career in the way I had planned. It was all taken away from me so fast. I was able to take part in senior day for a ceremonial first pitch surrounded by my teammates. This is a moment I will never forget. Being a student-athlete was such a big part of my life and always will be. Learning to live life after sports is a difficult process for every athlete, but especially for those who don’t get to finish things out the way they wanted to. But I am learning that sometimes this is just how life works. Nothing can truly be planned. Nothing is certain. We must live each day to the fullest and enjoy every moment we have. I feel that I have a new perspective on life. One that I hope to share and help others continue to move forward, even when it feels like life has come to a screeching halt.

While this part of my journey was unexpected and difficult, it has also been filled with strength, growth, and a renewed sense of purpose. If you are going through something that feels impossible, know you are not alone. You are so much stronger than you think. The road ahead may be challenging, but every step forward is a victory. As I continue on my healing journey, I will also keep sharing. Even in the darkest moments, we have the power to turn pain into purpose. I may not have been able to finish my season, but my story certainly is not finished.