19 | I'm The Hero Of My Own Story

At 20 years old, Amanda Kloehr was a quirky, irreverent Air Force airman trying to find her way in the world. But everything changed in an instant when her car collided with the back of an 18-wheeler. She was nearly decapitated, lost her right eye, suffered major facial trauma, and spent months in the hospital enduring over 20 surgeries. Against all odds, Amanda lived—and began a long and often painful journey of physical healing, emotional reckoning, and radical self-reinvention.

In this unforgettable episode of Alive Again, Amanda recounts the horror and absurdity of her accident, the quiet trauma of public stares and whispered judgments, and the complex dance of identity that comes with living in a body permanently marked by survival. With humor, vulnerability, and unflinching honesty, she shares how she went from post-crash denial to public speaker, from hiding behind long red bangs to owning her story on national television.

Now a mother, wife, writer, and advocate, Amanda reflects on what it means to live in a society that defines people by their scars—and what it means to rewrite that narrative. Her journey isn’t a tragedy. It’s a declaration: "I am the hero of my own story. I’m proud of the woman I fought to become."

Story Producer: Kate Sweeney

“In the shadow of a wreckage, where silence lay thick,

I danced with the darkness, my heart beating quick.

One eye now a memory, a glimpse of the past,

Through the veil of my trials, I learned hope could last.

With each faltering step, on the path I would tread,

Change bubbled in me like laughter,

While the outside reflected all the places I bled.

Life carved its lessons, etched deep in my soul,

Through pain and resilience, I learned to feel whole.

From the ashes of anguish, a phoenix would rise,

With wings made of moxie, I took to the skies.

I cradled new life, a new generation born,

An ode to strength and a blood oath sworn.

In love, I found solace, our connection, a dream,

Yet storms brewed within me, found safety as a team.

Through heartache and healing, I learned to embrace,

The beauty of journey, the joy in each space.

Two degrees on my wall, symbols of fight,

In the tapestry woven, I found my own light.

To love myself fiercely, to cherish each scar,

Is to know every struggle has brought me this far.

With grit and determination, my sparkle continues to amplify,

A testament to living, to truly defy.

So here's to the battles, the laughter, the tears,

To the moments of triumph that silence our fears.

In the journey of being, of learning to fly,

living out loud is my battle cry.”

• Amanda Kloehr

* If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at aliveagainproject@gmail.com

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