When tragedy strikes, it can feel debilitating. A death in the family, the loss of a job, a divorce or separation, or even changes like moving to a new town can leave one feeling immobile and unable to carry out the simplest tasks. With the passing of time our lives can regain a sense of normalcy – but what if a tragedy left you in a state of permanent disability, where the smallest tasks that are often taken for granted become near insurmountable hurdles one must face everyday?

It happened to Caroline Koger. Caroline was mugged while walking in her neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland. Her assailant hit her in the head three times, causing a traumatic brain injury, which made Caroline lose most of her hearing, and impaired her speech and cognitive abilities. Unable to perform many of her previous everyday tasks either at all or without concerted effort, Caroline thought her life was over.

As Caroline relayed her story to me, it was hard to imagine this lively and thoughtful woman, now 60 years old, in the despairing mental and emotional state she described. Having seduced me into her new place of employment off the street with a friendly wave and a welcome, she seemed completely at home in her new surroundings, eager to show me her wares and tell me about the exciting new projects she was involved in.

Through the help of the Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) Caroline now works as an independent vendor and class instructor at Beadalicious, a beaded jewelry and dress shop located in Baltimore. Her artistic and entrepreneurial spirit clearly showed through in her enthusiasm for her jewelry creations. Despite being relatively new to the business, her knowledge of the energetic properties of the stones, which she readily relayed to me, matched that of any professional jewelry maker.

It was an inspiring encounter to hear Caroline’s story and to see her thriving in her new environment, as well as to see local businesses like Beadalicious working with DORS to help people with disabilities return to work, be independent, and be able to express themselves through activities that matter to them.

You can find out more about Caroline (or even purchase her jewelry!) through the Beadalicious website. You can also takepart by supporting local businesses like Beadalicious, who are doing their part to improve their communities by working with organizations like DORS.

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