Herald Journal Blog

My sister’s best friend, Paula, 43, was on the I-35W bridge with her husband, Brad, and their two daughters when it collapsed in August. Their car had almost made it to the end of the bridge when their van fell 64 feet hitting solid ground nose first. If you think that you are not having the greatest week, compare it to this — Paula was just moved to the Courage Center last week where she is learning how to take care of herself on her own. That includes learning how to get out of bed and walk again. She was in an induced coma for a month following the accident because of severe brain swelling. Brad has severe neck injuries and has not been able to return to work. Both of their daughters have compressed vertebrae and are still wearing back-braces. On top of all of the time in and out of hospitals and just trying to make it from day-to-day, the Coulters just received one of their first medical bills for $380,000. Of their maximum life-time medical insurance policy of $2 million, they are estimating that they have already spent over $1 million.