It’s been nine months since a Radford woman was severely injured in a motorcycle crash in Christiansburg. Thanks to quick emergency care at LewisGale Medical Center, now in its second year as a Level 2 trauma center, she is rebuilding her life and sharing her story to help others during National Trauma Awareness Month.
A mom and motorcyclist, Daulton Muha stands as a survivor.
“I went through her windshield,” she said to 10 News in an interview recounting the accident.
August 29, 2024 was a night that changed Daulton Muha’s life.
“My head took the brunt of the accident,” she recalled. “A lady accidentally ran a red light, and I went through her side windshield. It was a mistake, and I don’t really remember much about the accident, only what happened after.”
Daulton was in the ICU at LewisGale on a ventilator for a week with a long list of injuries.
“My most significant one was my pelvis. It was broken five different places. I have a couple of screws in my pelvis to hold it together right now,” she explained.
She spent two months in the hospital. Despite the damage and scars that remain, the accident hasn’t stopped her.
“The visor obviously broke and was what cut my nose in the accident, but it saved my life,” Daulton said, holding the helmet she wore that night.
“It kind of gives me a sense of peace,” she added when asked about the helmet.
Another memento she shared was her ink.
“I got a couple of teeth tattoos because I lost a couple of my teeth in the accident,” she said.
Daulton said she has kept several memento’s of the crash, but none as close as what she received from her care team and family.
“I’ve kept a few, but the thing that I’ve kept the most is the love that I got from LewisGale,” Daulton responded.
Daulton was one of 1,700 patients LewisGale sees in its emergency room each year. Dr. Jaromir Kohout is the Trauma Medical Director.
“That’s great. That’s the most important thing for us,” Dr. Kohout said. “To hear the thank yous at the end and get somebody who can get up and walk home on their own feet. That is the best reward.”
LewisGale honored Daulton and other trauma survivors at a special luncheon, marking a milestone for their recovery.
“ I think that it’s very important that we share our stories together because everybody has a different story, but in a way, it’s kind of all the same,” Daulton said.
Proving no trauma is too great to overcome when you have a community and a team behind you to help you get back on the road. Daulton still has several surgeries to go, but she remains confident in her care team and says she plans to continue riding motorcycles.