22-year-old woman shares journey of recovery from tragic accidents to Bedford students

BEDFORD, Va.- – A Richmond-area woman is left with both physical and mental scars that may never fully heal after a serious car accident. A drunken driver  hit the car she was in with her mother.    

But that isn't stopping Kristen Mallory from sharing her story with students in Bedford. Five years ago, life changed in every way possible for a then 16-year-old Mallory.

In June 2013, Mallory and her mom were just five minutes from home when their car was hit by a drunken driver. 

"After taking 10 Xanax, drinking a case of beer and having five mixed drinks in the bar, a 23-year-old named Adam ran a red light and hit us," said Mallory. 

She was on life support for three days. 

"He completely, I thought he was ruining my life when I broke both legs and both hands and my collarbone and had a concussion," said Mallory. 

She suffered a traumatic brain injury from the crash.

"I don't remember the actual impact of the crash, but I remember very well being stuck in a car with a dashboard and engine sitting on my lap and shoved into my chest," said Mallory. 

Her dreams from before the accident were put on hold.

"Like, I had it all planned out. I wanted to be a dance teacher on the side, get married one day and have kids," said Mallory. 

But the accident didn't keep her down. With the help of her family, Mallory's Movement Against Drunk Driving was created. They're working to educate others about the dangers of drinking and driving. She shared her story with more than 700 students at Liberty High School in Bedford, her largest crowd yet. 

"Last year, we lost a very good friend of ours because of a fatal accident. It was hard for a while but hearing stories like that, you know there's always a positive side," said Eric Simbana, student and YOVASO member. 

The 22-year-old gets joy and comfort out of speaking to people about her journey. 

"This is just saying it's real. Like, I'm right here. It happened to me. And I never thought it would happen to me," said Mallory.

 She's back to dancing and other activities. Virginia State Police and Youth of Virginia Speak About Traffic Safety made a documentary of the family's story to shed light on the realities of driving under the influence. 

Check out the documentary here.