“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26
Callie is a wife, mother and sepsis survivor. In 2016, her life was forever changed. The day after Christmas, Callie went into septic shock while pregnant with her unborn son, Quinn. After being in a coma for three months, Callie awoke to the devastating news that she had not only lost her son, but also that both her legs had been amputated below the knee, along with her left index finger and thumb. She spent over a year in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital, followed by six months of rehab.
Finding her new normal has been a long, hard road. With the support of her husband, Kevin, who is always steadfastly by her side, the two have found God’s strength with each obstacle.
“The past two years have bonded us like no other” she says. “As I laid in the ICU bed with a tube in my neck, unable to talk, legs freshly amputated and in more pain than I had ever been in, I would look over in my room and find Kevin. Always there. Always protecting me. I am so very blessed to have this amazing gift of a man.” Callie beams as she talks about her husband. His love for her is a shining example of Christ’s love for us; unwavering, fiercely loyal, tender and kind.
I first met Callie at the 2018 Beautifully Flawed Retreat, which was Callie’s first outing since leaving the hospital! She came escorted by her sweet husband. As he wheeled her through the doors of the beach house, her eyes welled up with tears. She was in good company, surrounded by amputee women lifting one another up with love and the power of shared struggles.
During the week of Beautifully Flawed, Callie shared her story for the very first time publicly at Shine Forth. “What an amazing moment of redemption and healing, one I will never forget.” Callie says.
Callie is in the process of getting two prosthetic legs. She is looking forward to walking with her daughter again. Her faith in God is stronger than ever. Her outlook on life is positive and her heart is grateful. What an incredible example she is to all of us as we encounter unexpected difficulties in life.
Being unstoppable means seeking the Lord in our circumstances and supporting one another in love.
