The Becky Reeve Story: Testament of Triumphs

SALT LAKE CITY — Paralyzed from the neck down. That has been the life of Becky Reeve for more than six decades. Some studies show many quadriplegics live only 7 to 12 years once diagnosed. Reeve is now in her 80s. And her story is much more than simply "beating the odds." It's what she's done and continues to do with the gift of life. Back in November 1962, Reeve was on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She and her companion were on their way to a zone conference in Roswell, New Mexico, when their car slid off the road and rolled two times, before landing upside down.In the middle of the desert, Reeve lay helpless on the ground. She said she closed her eyes and started to pray. Reeve said a voice instantly came into her mind and said, “Your neck is broken; you must not move."And it was those words, that revelation, that likely saved her life. Reeve echoed the instructions to first responders, who initially thought the damage was to her shoulders and back. They were wrong. She told them to treat her for a broken neck. What happened that day, likely should have taken the life of Reeve. Weeks in the hospital. Paralyzed from the neck down. And a future with little to no hope. "The doctors told me I would never be anything more than a vegetable. I would never sit up. I would never move. or do anything again." Reeve said.But Reeve defied those odds with her testament of tenacity. In the past 60 years, Reeve has worked and battled and struggled just to sit upright in a wheelchair, stand with a little assistance, and earn a degree from Brigham Young University.She was also crowned Miss Handicap Utah. She's beat cancer and strokes. All of it was documented in books, some with sketches, some with photographs, and all typed out and authored. Now, at the age of 84, Reeve is giving every single ounce that her quadriplegic body will give her.

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